Immolation of Man's Pride
by D. M. Evans
Summary: Riza finds herself caught on the horns of her past and the pride of the powerful men in her life with dire consequences
1. Chapter 1

Immolation of Man's Pride

D M Evans

Disclaimer - not mine

Rating Older Teen

Pairing - Roy/Riza

Time Line - Manga verse Pre-Ishbal, based off revelations of ch 58 but mostly written before 59 came out so we can safely say it contains spoilers for 58 and is totally AU after that

Summary -Riza finds herself caught on the horns of her past and the pride of the powerful men in her life with dire consequences

Author's Note #1 - written for the royaifiction fanfiction challenge and I have to say now, this turned into a very long piece.

Author's Note # 2 - thanks to Sj and Mjules for the beta

Author's Note #3 - As mentioned in the time line description, I started writing this after seeing just a smidgen of Riza's life in ch 58 and extrapolating what life in Amestris might be like based on Edwardian life styles for women here on Earth (with allowances for the fact that there are differences in tech levels and that women seem to be much more free in Amestris). Certainly after ch 59 came out before I was done with this, there are things that are very different in canon but I liked this story enough to want to continue it as is so let's just consider it an AU. The lifestyles depicted here came full force with what we learned about the Hawkeyes and the challenge picture "the Color Red"

Author's Note #4 - the challenge prompts used are listed at the end. All the clothing and jewelry pictures embedded came from various Edwardian, Victorian and similar sales catalogs on line

Chapter One

Nervous tickles raced up Roy's spine. When he decided to join the military, so young they would have rejected him if not for his alchemy, he thought he was doing the right thing to protect his country. It would give him a step up when he took his State Alchemy test, if his mentor ever stopped withholding information from him. Roy knew that he could be sent to war, that he would have to kill but the military recruiter made it sound like there wasn't much chance of it. Roy thought within a year he'd be spending his days in a lab working on his alchemy.

Foolish him. He passed his test, thanks to Riza, and he still didn't know what to think of her. She had seemed like such a mousy creature when he was studying in her father's house. He barely knew she was around and, for the most part, she wasn't. The Hawkeyes had money once and were still an important family name in the north. That was enough to get her in as a legacy at the prominent finishing school in Portsmouth so she wasn't in the house often. After his mentor died, he understood why reticent little Riza used that school as a refuge even if she hated it there. It still made his skin crawl when he thought about what Hawkeye had done to his daughter.

Roy shuddered, that thought adding to the nerves he already had. He was back in the north, practically in Hawkeye's wooded back yard at the foot of the Briggs Mountains, looking for Drachmaian insurgents who had been attacking logging communities. That's why he was tramping around in the forest, his fingers twitching in the new gloves specially designed for him. That's what had become of his alchemy - death with a snap of his fingers. No wonder Hawkeye had hidden his research.

Roy was barely seventeen and the whole idea scared him. He didn't want to kill. He hated that Riza followed him into the military where she might have to kill. If Roy believed in god and ghosts, her father's spirit should haunt him for that. Roy wondered what his own mother would think of him now. She had taught him how to fight practically from the time he could walk, all the quick Xingese moves she had brought from her homeland. Her father had been a silk trader and Xi-Feng worked wonders with green alchemy, medicinal alchemy. She died too young, before she could teach her son all the alchemy he hungered for. Roy's dad was a good man, a vintner. His alchemy - well, it really wasn't, not in the traditional sense - was red and white, turning grapes into beautiful wines but Kyle Mustang knew he couldn't give his boy what he needed and willingly sent Roy to one of Xi-Feng's colleagues in the north.

Roy hadn't gotten to know these woods well when he was with the Hawkeyes and now he wished he had. At least Riza was somewhere not far from him and she knew them. The sun, which had dappled the snow, was on the descent. The wind kept up a cold Aeolian song. A glint near the brush line startled Roy. He unslung the rifle from his back and peered through the scoop. The play of light was from Hughes' glasses. Roy stomped hard, trying to convince himself his toes were still there as he made his way to Maes. His friend laughed lowly, covering his mouth as he tried not to give away their position.

"What?" Roy hissed, his good nature iced over hours ago.

"You have such an 'I'm a city boy, please get me out of here' look on your face." Maes snickered, rapping his knuckles on Roy's wind-reddened cheek.

"I do not. I've lived here before, you know," Roy huffed indignantly, waving at the snow-laden pines.

"Maybe, but did you ever leave that alchemist's house? Hell, you probably never left the man's library." Maes' citrine eyes danced behind his lenses. "Did you even know he had a lovely daughter?"

"You're more irritating than frost bite, you know that, right?" Roy grumbled, wondering if he had enough control to give Hughes a hot foot.

"Aww, is the Flame Alchemist cold?" Maes wheedled.

"Not for much longer. The Flame Alchemist is eyeing up a big pile of tinder right now." Roy shot Maes a knowing look then tensed, seeing another glint off a tree trunk. Both men pulled their rifles into shooting position. When they turned, they saw Hawkeye behind them, sunlight flickering off her riflescope.

"If I were a Drachmaian insurgent, you two would be bleeding all over the snow," she admonished, not lowering her gun.

"We're just not as good a soldier as you are." Maes grinned. Roy flinched at his words. Roy's teacher hated the military and he knew Hawkeye Senior would detest that the first thing Roy did after being entrusted with Riza was to help her enroll in the military academy.

"It's time to head home," she said sourly, slinging her rifle over her shoulder.

Roy watched her walk through the forest, content to let her lead. He felt a little lost. Every tree pretty much looked the same to him, which was why Maes' comment had rankled. He wasn't really a city boy. He grew up on the family vineyard but there was a huge difference between tightly controlled vines and the sheer size of the forest. Whoever said the woods were quiet must never have visited them. They were alive with sounds and they all served to feed his nervousness.

Roy thought about his companions as he walked and distractedly scanned the woods for rebels. Maes would get his later for teasing him. As for Riza, he didn't know what to do with her. There wasn't much in the way of feminine lines to be seen in Hawkeye, hidden as she was in the military winter gear. She hid herself in other ways, even back when he was studying with her father; those drab dresses of Rennsalaer Academy for Girls robbed all the girls of their sexuality. Even her honey hair was far too boyish. He had never seen her as a girl, except twice.

The first time, he had been outside the house at night, laying down blankets to harvest the dew as part of his lessons when he caught sight of Riza in her bedroom window. She had been leaning out watching the stars. Her gown, backlit by the old-fashioned gaslights in her room, had become diaphanous, allowing Roy his first glimpses of her body. It was enough to make finishing his task very difficult with the hard-on he had been sporting. The first time he had ever actually seen her partially naked hadn't been what he would have ever imagined. It still disturbed him on a profound level.

X X X

"Are you sure we should be here?" Roy asked nervously, going to Riza's bedroom. The room felt oppressive and not because of the current circumstances. All the furniture dated to a more prosperous time for the Hawkeyes, dark carved walnut adding a gloomy cast to the cold room.

She bobbed her head, her eyes red and swollen. "Who'll care now?" she whispered, sitting on the edge of her bed, her back ramrod straight.

Roy thought the father she had just put in the ground would have something to say about him being in her bedroom. Hawkeye rarely had to discipline Roy but the few occasions he had were somehow linked to Riza. Hawkeye didn't want Roy looking at his daughter. Roy never knew what he'd done to make Hawkeye think Roy wanted her. He didn't. She did nothing for him. He preferred the easygoing townie girls when he could find time to go wooing. Roy didn't have time for any of the prissy little bitches that attended the Rennsalaer Academy.

He had dreaded the times Hawkeye made him attend the school's social functions as a representative of the Hawkeye estate. Those stuck-up girls had looked down their noses at him ever since he made the mistake of pointing out proudly that the wine being served came from his family's winery. They found all sorts of boozy names to call him after that. To her credit, Riza hadn't been like that but she was so mousy around him, avoiding him whenever she could. Still, he couldn't help feel that she watched him constantly whenever she was around. A little flat-chested under her stodgy uniform with hair almost shorter than his own, what did he want with her?

Roy didn't really know what to do now as he turned on the gas lights to drive out the shadows. For once, she was making eye contact with him and he couldn't escape his feelings of guilt at not getting a doctor in time for her father. He knew a little healing alchemy, very little, but he had panicked, not that he thought Hawkeye could have been saved. He put a hand on her arm. "Will you be all right, Riza?"

She looked at him, a steel he hadn't seen before entering her eyes. "I heard my father giving me to you."

Roy blanched. What must she think of him? For once, he wanted to escape her gaze. "I'm sorry about that. It wasn't my idea. I'm sure he just wanted me to look out for you."

"No." She gave her head a sharp shake, balling her hands in the darned, once luxurious blue bedspread. "He meant it like I was property. I'm fifteen so I guess I could do whatever I wanted, if I lie about my age. I don't need a guardian."

"I'd look out for you if you needed me to," he blurted out, his voice soft.

Riza's smile was gentle as summer rain. "You mean that, don't you?"

Roy hesitated for a moment. It was a large undertaking he was considering should she take him up on it. He could get stuck and that was something he hated. Why had he said it? He turned and looked at the mirrored armoire with its woodland carvings and draping ivies that reminded him of headstone carvings. Why did he really want to do this? "I mean it."

"I don't plan on holding you to it. All I want are options to living here with my Uncle Bob." He lip curled as she said his name. Roy shared her distaste. Bob Hawkeye was a degenerate gambler. Roy's teacher barely tolerated his brother the few times he showed up at the decaying Hawkeye estate.

He stretched up and ran a finger over the bird's nest carved into the dark wood of the high head board, trying to appear nonchalant. In reality, his gut quivered. She was looking to him for help just like men would now that he was Cadet Mustang. He was too young for all of this. "What sort of options?"

"A means of staying alive, a job," she replied, sliding her feet out of her high heels. He wished she'd put them back on. There was something about toes in silk stockings and this was not the time for that kind of thought.

"Certainly the Renn...um, Rennleer Academy," he stumbled over the name as per usual. It was oddly a difficult word for him to remember, "can help you better than I, with that."

Riza's laugh was brittle, hollow as it echoed in the room. "That school doesn't prepare you to live, Roy. It's wife school." His eyes popped open as if he'd been slapped. Riza's face flushed, her voice low and furious. "I learned how to help my affluent husband maintain his social standing. I know how to hostess a party and I can set a mean tablescape. I learned how to dress and keep house, to be very organized, and how to talk to important people so I can smooth the way for my man. They topped it off with how to embroider and sew and make lace and a hundred other useless things. I was meant to marry well. If Father had lived another year, that school would have paraded me around at the end of year party like a fine horse, hoping to attract some wealthy son of a business man."

"I'm sorry," Roy whispered, not really sure what he was sorry for. He suddenly realized Riza was profoundly unhappy for reasons that had nothing to do with her father's death. "What about what your father told me about the secrets he told you? He said you know all his research. If you know alchemy, that's something you can do to take care of yourself."

She shook her head. "It was so unfair of Father to dangle those secrets in front of you, like he was so high and mighty and you had to earn the right to know. Teachers are supposed to teach, not withhold things until you jump through all his hoops. He only taught you the basics, and sometimes not even that, even though he kept saying to me you were the best student he ever had." Riza wiped her face, smearing the tear-born runnels of mascara over her cheeks and eyes. "I think he was afraid of you."

Roy's brow knit. "I don't understand."

"Think about it, Roy," she replied, impatiently. "You want to learn to control fire. Father's research...it frightened him. We hid out here even after Uncle Bob and Father went through all the money their father and his father before him earned in logging and mining. Well, mostly it was Uncle Bob but that's not the point. We could have gone elsewhere into the cities. Father could have earned more with his alchemy. There were practical applications for it but he was interested in the research even when it began to scare him. Think of how much of a weapon your prize of flames could be, Roy. He feared you turning yourself into a monster. I heard what Father said to you at the end."

"That he was dead as a human," Roy muttered, not looking at her.

"He meant that, Roy. I've known it for years."

Roy looked at his reflection in her vanity mirror. His face had gone so pale. Behind him in the glass, Riza looked like a revenant with black-smudged eyes. "I don't want to hurt people with my alchemy, Riza. I want to help them. I believe in the dictum, 'Alchemist be thou for the people'."

Her shoulders drooped, her bangs falling like straw over her eyes. "I want to believe that."

"Does that mean you won't tell me the secrets?" Roy's voice shook. This girl was his only chance to achieve his goals. Even though she had been schooled to help her man, he didn't think she would be easy to manipulate into doing so. He wasn't hers, after all.

"I hate that Father put us in this position." She sighed. "I trust you, Roy. He should have done so, too. Maybe it was because you're young. He always said boys are too impetuous. Maybe you're not old enough for this knowledge yet."

"You're younger than me," he pointed out, panicked, feeling his prize sliding away.

"Barely." She smiled thinly. "And while I know all of Father's research, I don't have any desire to use it. And the key for it all...it's hard for me to get at."

"But you do know it. I have part of an array. I can control a spark but I can't make it grow. I can't get the transmutation down right. I have a parlor trick, nothing more," Roy lamented.

"And I'm going to be as unfair to you as Father was," she said.

Roy spun around, trying to hide the fury in his eyes. "So you won't tell me."

"Promise to help me and you can have all the secrets I know," she replied, her jaw set like stone.

Roy's mouth went dry. Her father had played games with him. Would she do the same? "What do you want?"

"Sponsor my entrance into the military academy. I might be too young to get in on my own."

Roy blinked. "That's it?"

She lifted her hands then let them fall. "Yes."

"That's simple, but Teacher wouldn't have liked it. Your father hated the military." Roy wrinkled his nose. "He'll probably haunt me if I help you get into the military."

She laughed. "You don't believe in souls and god. How can you believe in ghosts?"

He smiled. "Fine, but you know what I mean. Riza...you might have to kill if you join in the military." Roy rubbed his chin. "Then again, with your academy skills, you'll probably be put in the secretarial pool or in acquisitions."

"You tell them about those skills of mine and I'll teach you what my cousin Bryn taught me." Riza's voice was hard and yet held a smidgen of humor.

Roy went to the window and looked out at the setting sun. "Bryn? Bob's son?"

"You never met him, did you?"

Roy shook his head.

Riza got up off the bed and closed the curtains on the enormous window. "I love my cousin. He's long gone from here but when we were little, he loved to be in the woods, loved everything about it. He enjoyed the hunt and he taught it to me. I'm good in the woods, Roy. I can track prey. I can shoot. You have no idea how good I can shoot. The military won't be putting me in an office too quickly. I'd be more useful in the field."

Somehow that made him queasy. "I don't like it."

"It's not your decision, Roy, nor is it my father's." She laid a hand on his arm. "It's my life."

"Just tell me why you want to join the military," Roy insisted, unable to believe he was willing to risk his precious secrets to keep this girl safe. Why was that?

She met his gaze dead on. "I have things I want to protect and if I have to risk my life, if I have to take a life to do it, so be it."

"I'll help you any way I can," he said, telling himself he wasn't putting her in danger just so he could get his hands on what he wanted. A little voice in his head laughed at that.

"Sit." Riza pointed to her bed.

Roy gave her a nervous look and her brow knitted. He sat at the edge, scowling at the squirrel robbing a bird's nest crest at the center of the head board. It was creepy. "What?"

"You want to know the secret, don't you?"

"I need paper." He started to get up.

"Sit," she said in a tone that didn't allow for any disobedience.

Roy settled back on the covers, wide-eyed. This strong woman was not the Riza he knew and he realized with a tantalizing frisson of admiration, that he never knew her at all. His eyes got even bigger as she turned her back on him and she started tugging the zipper of her black dress down. What the hell was she doing?

Roy got to his feet, thinking he knew how she planned on thanking him for helping her. "Riza, you don't have to..."

"Roy, that's not sitting." She looked over her shoulder at him, fire in her brown eyes. "And get your mind out of the gutter. This is not about _that." _

She got the zipper down and Roy couldn't speak. He couldn't even breathe. His future spread across her moonstone skin in brilliant colors. There inside an alembic flask surrounded by the twin serpents of the triple crown magistery, held in the serpent symbol for the _Solve et coagula,_was the array he'd been searching for. What couldn't he do with that array? He'd become the youngest State Alchemist ever with it, for starters. Then it sank in the enormity of what Hawkeye had done. He had turned his child into a talisman, into a potential weapon. What would happen to her if someone used her to activate the transmutation? She should be safe. State Alchemists often wore their talismans, Roy knew that but to do this to her, to a girl, to his own child, it was cold, unthinkable. Hawkeye was right; he hadn't been human any longer. He'd been insane.

Roy couldn't sit on the bed. He went over to her and cupped her shoulders. Riza flinched under the feel of his calloused hands. "He did _this_ to you? How could he hide his secret like this? What right did he have to make you carry this burden?"

"He was my father. That was the only right he needed." Riza turned her face from him, bunching her bodice more tightly against her breasts. "Why do you care?"

"Because...this, you could be killed for this, do you know that? What if I were...not who I was," he finished lamely, not sure why she didn't share his revulsion at this or maybe she did and there was simply nothing she could do but adapt to it.

"I didn't have a choice...I was too young to know better," she said softly.

"May I examine the array closely?" He tried not to sound overeager.

"I don't see how we can avoid it."

Roy's hands splayed out over her flesh, at first just trying to soak it in, then he started to pick the array apart, mumbling to himself. "The salamander, I knew I had to have that and the little triangle, that was a given." He tapped the smallest triangle, the symbol for fire. "It was these two I couldn't guess at." His fingers traced out the intersecting triangles with the lines through them, air and earth. Air, he should have known but earth came as surprise to him. Oh what he could do now, it was all here under his hands. "I don't think I'll need the hermetic iconography, it's too complex." he scrubbed his hand over the snakes then over her neck, forgetting himself in the fevered rush of discovery. He had it all now, his State Alchemist test in the bag, the ability to provide for his future and to keep his country safe. His father would be so proud. Roy could almost feel the power coursing through him, standing him half erect at the mere thought of that power. "I believe all I'll need is in the alembic."

"You're right," she whispered.

Roy startled, almost forgetting she was in the room with him. How terrible of him. He was pawing all over her, forgetting in his glee that this was a living girl under his hands. Riza trembled ever so slightly. Roy turned her slowly to face him and she clutched her rucked up dress front tighter against her chest. He kissed her cheek, chastely. "I'm sorry. I'm being an ass."

"You're just excited," Riza said, shaking harder.

Roy took a step back just in case she didn't know how true that was. "I have no right to treat you like an object. I apologize. Thank you, Riza. This is what I needed."

They stood staring at each other in silence as if to say, 'what next?' The heavy sounds of foot steps coming up the stairs shocked them apart even before Bob Hawkeye bellowed Riza's name. She flailed around, trying to pull her zipper up. Roy zipped her then snagged his uniform hat off the vanity, settling it on his head.

"You're good at that," she whispered.

He shrugged sheepishly then poured some water from the wash stand pitcher into the basin. This part of the house had no running water. "Sit and clean your face. I'll try to look...nonchalant."

Riza sat at the vanity and put a towel into the bowl. "In my bedroom, Uncle Bob!"

Roy sat on the window seat, after opening the curtain. He made a to-do over looking out at the woods beyond the house. Bob came in, looking like he didn't buy their innocence for a moment.

"You still here, Mustang? That's unusually kind for a military man," Hawkeye said.

"I was his student, sir. Being here for his daughter is the least I could do for my teacher," Roy replied.

Hawkeye snorted. "Riza, when you're done cleaning yourself up there, we have guests downstairs. They need seeing to."

"Of course, Uncle."

If Roy had any qualms about taking her under his wing, they were gone in an instant.

X X X

"Son of a ..." Roy batted at the low hanging tree branch that he was caught in. That would teach him to day dream.

"Did that tree just jump out and grab you, Mustang?" Maes laughed.

"Really, sir, do pay more attention," Hawkeye said.

Roy pulled free of the branches, glaring. Maybe taking her under his wing wasn't his best idea ever. Roy remained in a bad mood all the way back to the base.


	2. Orders

Chapter Two

"So, what was your problem today? Hawkeye was right. If we had stumbled across any Drachmaian rebels, you'd have been killed. Your head was in the clouds," Hughes said, sitting on his barracks bed, rubbing his feet to warm them.

"My problem is having to share a room with you," Roy groaned, desperately not wanting to talk about this.

Maes pushed his glasses up. " You should be thankful I'm here. No one else wants to bunk with a freak."

"Majors should have their own rooms," Roy grumbled, pointedly ignoring the slight.

"Did you sit on a pine cone out there or something, Flame? Or is it that you don't want to admit you were thinking about a girl?" A sly smile cut across the teenager's face.

Roy glared, and his friend thought he was pretty lucky Roy couldn't make sparks just by thinking about it. "It's not what you think, Hughes."

"Oh, right. Do I need to remind you, _Major Mustang_, that she's only a cadet and not simply your teacher's daughter?"

"No, you don't, _Lieutenant Hughes_," Roy growled, flopping back on his bed after fumbling with the radiator controls, futilely trying to eek out some warmth.

"Like hell. You've been part of Hawkeye's life for years. And you and boundaries aren't very good mixes." Maes tugged on his thick socks, deciding they'd be needed if he didn't want icy feet keeping him up all night.

"Well, she was forbidden fruit then, too. It's not what you think," Roy insisted, getting up and starting to undress.

"Right, because you're immune to a fine form," Maes scoffed, turning down his bed before collapsing back on it.

Roy sighed, realizing there was no avoiding Maes tonight. "What are you frothing at the mouth about now, Hughes?"

"Come on, I've seen Hawkeye without her jacket on." Maes mimed squeezing sizable breasts or maybe he was shopping for melons. Either way, Roy just rolled his eyes.

"Yeah...I swear those are new. I'm pretty sure she was flat chested the last time I saw her," Roy said in a tone that suggested he was trying to convince himself that he wasn't so blind as to miss her lovely body.

"Maybe you need my glasses." Maes plucked them off his nose, offering them to Roy.

"Maybe she's a late bloomer," Roy protested, his cheeks going pink.

"Well, she blossomed just fine," Maes leered.

"Quit looking at her!" A high color flamed up Roy's face.

"I thought it wasn't what I was thinking." Maes grinned. "So why do you care?"

Roy's lips pulled into a thin line. "Explain to me why I'm friends with you?"

"You need someone like me to lighten you up. You're so sour, I'm surprised you don't sweat vinegar." Maes' grin broadened then died in a flash as something far more sober took its place. "Seriously, Roy, it's not like you to be so distracted in a dangerous situation. What's wrong?"

"Just thinking about Hawkeye's death," Roy said, exchanging his uniform shirt for his flannel PJ top. "My teacher, Riza's father. She's from up here you know, here in Portsmouth. She went to the Renna...something or other academy."

"You mean Rennsalaer?" Maes tucked his feet under the covers and Roy nodded. "I've heard of that academy, a rich girl school. Why in the world would she trade that for combat boots?"

"I asked and she said that she had things to protect. There are other reasons...like she wanted more than to be a wife to some rich jerk but that could be me extrapolating." Roy grimaced. It wasn't, of course. He knew that much and that the Hawkeye family fortune was gone but he didn't feel comfortable sharing that with anyone.

"Sounds like you did put some thought into it." Maes blinked owlishly behind his lenses.

"I did live here. I know the family well. The only relative she has in the area is an uncle who...well, stinks." Roy made a face. "I don't think she would like me talking about this." Roy finished changing and dove under the covers. "But I wasn't thinking about her like you're thinking I was. I was contemplating the funeral."

Maes shifted on his narrow bed. "Well, that would make you absent in the head. What brought that up?"

Roy shrugged, pulling up the covers tight. "Just being here."

"You miss your teacher?"

"No, I don't," Roy said too quickly. He sighed. "He was my teacher. I respected him but I didn't...like him."

Maes' brow knit as an intent look washed over his face. Roy winced. He should have known better than to give Hughes a tidbit like that. His friend had such an active, inquisitive mind and a vast capacity for storing minutiae. He'd make a great alchemist if only he had an interest in it.

"What did he do to you?" Maes' voice was low with suspicion.

"Nothing. It was more...he held things back from me. He only taught me the basics, things I really could have done on my own and then got squirrelly when it came to revealing his great work. I think..." Roy stopped. It would help him to finally talk about Teacher with someone impartial but Riza might not appreciate it if he told people he thought her father was insane. "Never mind, it's nothing."

He could tell from the expression on Maes' face his friend wasn't convinced. Roy just hoped the look in his own eyes said not to press matters. He rolled over to face the radiator, hoping that might warm him up. "We ought to get some sleep. Damn, it's cold."

"Maybe you should put a little meat on your bones. You wouldn't feel the cold as much," Maes said, putting his glasses on the night stand.

"I'm fine as is," Roy grumbled. Leave it to Maes to get in a parting shot.

"Yeah, maybe Hawkeye likes men as big around as a pipe cleaner." Maes laughed.

Roy made an obscene gesture then tucked up to get warm. "This cold sucks."

"Whine all you want, I'm not coming over there to warm you up," Maes called brightly.

"Great, now I'll be up all night worrying about that contingency," Roy groaned.

A knock on the door cut into anything Hughes might have to say. The young officers looked at each other in surprise. Maes scooped up his glasses and opened the door. A non-commissioned teen stood there. He saluted.

"Sorry, sirs, I know it's late but General Householder wants to see you both in his office," the young man said, shifting nervously.

"Do you know about what?" Hughes asked, looking annoyed.

"No, sir."

"Tell him we'll be right there. We're out of uniform," Roy said, flipping the covers back.

The non-comm nodded and skittered off. Hughes and Mustang shared puzzled looks as they changed back into their uniforms. Roy tossed his pajamas over the radiator. Hughes did the same then they headed down to Householder's office. Roy was surprised to see Hawkeye there. Had she reported him for being derelict in his duties? He couldn't believe that. She seemed to be as confused as he and Maes were. Householder smiled at them, toying with the ends of his waxed moustache as they came in. He indicated for them to sit.

"Sorry for the late hour, boys but I just got the notice myself," householder said. "Mrs. Rozamond Mock just left. Cadet Hawkeye, I believe you know her."

Riza nodded. "She's the headmistress of Rennsalaer, or at least she was when I was in attendance, sir."

"She still is. Rennsalaer is having its Winter Ball and she would like some of my young officers to escort a few of the girls. There are two that have no escorts, a Miss Malca Gardyner and Miss Petronela Nedved, and their families would very much like them to be escorted. The military wants to strengthen its ties to this community so I selected you two, Major Mustang, Lieutenant Hughes, to be the lucky gentlemen." Householder grinned at them more like a wolf standing over fresh kill than in any friendly sense of the word.

Roy and Maes exchanged nervous glances. "Of...course, sir. We'd be delighted." Roy tried to force a smile.

"What about our assignment looking for the Drachmaian insurgents, sir?" Hughes asked.

"You'll still be expected to do that, Hughes. It's only one night and besides, the Rennsalaer girls might want the added reassurance that they have a military guard." Householder templed his hands in front of him. "Yes, this will be very good for us. Dress uniforms for you two, make sure you have them."

"Yes, sir," Hughes and Mustang chorused.

"And Hawkeye, Mrs. Mock would like you to attend as well as a go-between. Unfortunately, you'll be unescorted unless you have someone from the community you'd like to ask," Householder said, turning his kindly grandfather look on Riza who wilted. "You'll be expected to wear a dress. I'm sure you'll be able to find something appropriate. You'll be allowed to return back to your Uncle's estate as necessary for the duration of this mission. I believe you still have some of your belongings there."

Riza nodded without any enthusiasm. "Yes, sir."

"Well, I've kept you from your beds long enough. I hope to know more tomorrow. Smile, my young officers. Most soldiers would love to be assigned to a party." Householder laughed, slapping a hand on his desk.

With another chorus of yes sirs, they escaped out into the hallway, none of them looking as happy as Householder seemed to think they should.

"I hope my new girl doesn't hear about this," Maes grumbled.

"Riza, tell me about the two who don't have dates. In what way are they defective?" Roy groaned.

"Glad you automatically assume there's something wrong with them, Roy." Riza's voice was razor sharp. "It could be they just didn't want a date." She looked at him as if she thought he was the shallowest man alive.

"So, why force us on them?" Roy persisted, figuring he was already in the dog house so he might as well get comfortable.

"Because...you're not wrong. Petra has all the social graces of, well...she has none and I can't even say she's got a good heart since I've never seen it." Riza shook her head. "You've met Malca, Roy, she's the one who could drink your dad's winery dry."

"Dibs on the alcoholic." Roy slapped Maes' back and his friend made a face. Riza shot him a disgusted look.

"Oh, thanks," Maes sighed. "Why do I have a bad feeling about this?"

"Because we all do," Riza said. "That school...have Roy tell you about it. I have very few good memories of it and I doubt he has any. This will not be our first Winter Ball at Rennsalaer."

Hughes scowled. "Come on, Mustang. I'm dead on my feet. You can fill me in, in between moaning about it being cold."

"He's always cold." Riza smiled.

"He's a hothouse flower." Maes nodded sagely.

Roy just glared at them both and stomped off down the hall. He tried to pretend they weren't laughing at him.


	3. Friends and Family

Chapter Three

"Thanks for coming with me," Riza said as she walked through the streets of Portsmouth. They were fairly busy in spite of the blustery day. "I'm sure you had better things to do."

"Like what? We're too young to be served in the pubs," Roy grumbled.

"And going with you is better than listening to Flame whine all day about...well, pick a topic." Maes shot a grin at Roy.

"I do not whine, I discuss faults," Roy sniffed, nearly losing his balance on an icy patch. His arms windmilled wildly.

"Are you sure you lived here before? Snow just doesn't seem to be your element." Maes' eyes gleamed wickedly.

"What makes you think he ever left my father's workshop or library?" Riza turned up a walk way to a large beautiful house. Riza has always loved the style of her friend's home, fluid and graceful unlike her own boxy home. Avaron's home rose three stories centering around the rounded tower. All the windows arched high and wide to let in all the light possible to the point that when the sun was behind the house it seemed to glow. She knew one of the wrought iron balconies led into Avaron's rooms.

"I said that and he glared at me," Maes said, slapping Roy's back, nearly sending him to the snowy ground.

"Oh, shut up, the both of you." Roy sulked, eyeing the majestic house. "Where are we going?"

"To Avaron Lagana's, you might remember her, Roy. She's about the only friend I had at that school," Riza said, knocking on the door.

"Yes, I actually liked her. She wasn't bitchy," Roy said, pulling a face. "Some of those academy girls..."

"Who are you telling, Roy? I attended the Academy most of my life." Riza's eyes held something indefinable in them. Melancholy was the closest her male companions could get.

"I'm not sure why you wanted us along to see your friend, Riza," Maes said, hunching up against the chill wind. "Surely you'd want to catch up alone."

"It's not for this. After here, I have to go to my father's estate. My uncle sent a summons to General Householder for me." Riza's shoulders slumped. "I'd rather not face Uncle Bob alone."

"Riza Hawkeye, is that you?" A man's voice called from the sidewalk. They all turned to see a tall young man strolling towards the wrought iron around the Lagana estate.

When Mustang heard girls gushing about romance novels, he was fairly sure this was the man they were talking about. He had broad shoulders, a nipped-in waist and perfectly coifed golden hair that fell in gentle waves. Still, there was something fake about his too-white smile and a certain hardness to his eyes, the color of fresh new leaves. Roy couldn't remember feeling this self conscious about his own obviously not-quite-Amestrian looks. He found himself glancing over at Hawkeye to read her face for clues to how she felt about this fellow. To his surprise, she looked annoyed.

"Keddrick, I wasn't expecting to see you here," Riza said guardedly.

"We have the neighboring estate to Miss Lagana now," he replied, his eyes flicking back and forth between the men, trying to determine who they might be and why he wouldn't know them. Out of uniform, Hughes and Mustang just might be someone important that he needed to know, or at least that's how Roy was busy filling in the man's thoughts. "It's been a while since I've seen you. I heard a ridiculous rumor that you enlisted in the military."

Riza flushed then brought her chin up defiantly. She had never liked his attention. "Actually, Keddrick, I have. This is my superior officer, Major Roy Mustang and that is First Lieutenant Maes Hughes." She turned to her companions. "This is Keddrick Thorne. His father owns the biggest logging company in the area and part of the silver mine as well."

Roy thought he saw a hint of disappointment in the man's face at the lackluster introduction. He thought he might remember this young man but he tried to avoid the spoiled brats that attended Mesick Academy, the male counterpart to Rennsalaer. Roy used to take childish delight in making fun of the name, Mesick. "Pleased to meet you."

"Same here, Keddy." Maes grinned.

"It's Keddrick," the other man sniffed, glowering at Hughes.

"Yeah, I know." Maes just gave him a dead-eyed look and Roy knew his friend was purposely baiting him. Thorne must have been making Hughes uneasy.

The front door opened and the maid gave them all harsh glances. "Yes?" she demanded as if having decided that they didn't belong there and should be around back at the servants' entrance.

"Cynthi, who's there?" someone called from inside the house then a girl Riza's age came out. "Oh, there you are, Riza. Come on in and introduce me to your friends...or is that Roy Mustang?" Avaron smiled at him. She always reminded Roy of a vixen with her somewhat pointy features and fox red hair. She was certainly as smart as one.

"That's Major Mustang," Keddrick said dryly.

To his obvious consternation, Avaron looked impressed. "Already? At your age?"

"The perks of being a State Alchemist," Roy smiled, watching Keddrick out of the corner of his eye. The man looked at him with barely disguised distaste.

"Well, don't just stand out in the cold." Avaron's green eyes glinted with mischief. "Why are you here by the way, Keddrick?"

"I just happened to see Miss Hawkeye on my way home and thought I'd say hello." Keddrick flashed a smile that Roy figured got Thorne whatever he wanted all too often. "I was just about to ask her if she'd like to accompany me for dinner some time when your maid answered the door."

Riza's face paled, the wind-redden patches on her cheeks standing out like fire. "Thank you for the offer, Keddrick. I'll have to get back to you on that. I'm in Portsmouth as part of a detail to quell the Drachmaian insurgents in the area. I don't have a lot of liberty time." She seemed very relieved at that.

"That sounds too dangerous for a girl of your breeding," Keddrick said, touching the ends of her hair where it poked out from her hood.

Riza smiled tightly. "It's what I do now."

"We won't see you at Rennsalaer's Winter Ball?" Keddrick turned big puppy eyes on her.

"I've been assigned there as well, so yes, you will." She fought to keep her voice neutral. She tried to ignore the hot looks Roy was giving Keddrick as the man flirted with her.

"We're letting all the cold air in," Avaron interrupted, waving them inside. "She'll see you at the ball, Keddrick."

He glared for a moment at being so summarily dismissed then his good-boy facade slid back into place. "Of course. Don't let me keep you." Keddrick swooped in and gave Riza's cheek a peck, making sure to give a proprietary look to both Hughes and Mustang before turning around heading down the walk.

Avaron ushered them in, shooting Thorne's back a hot glare. Her maid, Cynthi, didn't look apologetic for having been short with them, or happy that she had to take the military men's coats, hats and gloves. Avaron escorted them into the parlor where big overstuffed chairs half-circled in front of the fire. "Can I interest you in tea or coffee?"

"Which ever you're having, Avaron," Riza said and the boys nodded their agreement. "And I do apologize for not doing proper introductions. Avaron, this is First Lieutenant Maes Hughes. Maes, this is Avaron Lagana, heiress to the Lagana mining and logging empire."

"Cynthi, we'll have tea thank you." Avaron turned back to her guests. "Daddy is partners withthe father of that waste of skin." Avaron said wryly, her smile wicked. "Nice to meet you, Maes. May I call you that? Please, do call me Avaron."

"Pleased to meet you, Avaron." Maes' smile was easy and genuine as he lounged in the leather chair, obviously luxuriating on the expensive furniture.

"So the hackles on the back of my neck weren't standing up for no reason? Anything we should know about Thorne?" Roy grumbled, looking intently at Avaron, nowhere near as relaxed as his friend.

"That he'd sell his mother for a bent coin and he still has a thing for our Miss Hawkeye," Avaron said, the humor gone from her face.

Riza pinched the bridge of her nose. "Don't remind me. Well, I didn't come here to talk about Keddrick."

"Yes, I was rather curious why you arrived with an entourage of handsome gentlemen." Avaron eyed Hughes and Roy like a desert crosser being offered her first water in days.

"They aren't for you, Avaron." Riza's voice was as sharp as a freshly stropped razor.

"Pity." Avaron pouted, curling a lock of auburn hair around her finger.

"They're for me," Riza said and everyone gave her arched looks, and maybe just a bit of tongue lolling from the men. She blushed. "Get your minds out of the gutters, all of you. I have to go home after this. Somehow Uncle Bob's heard that I've been asked to attend the ball and he sent word to the base commander that he'd like to see me."

"In other words, made sure you can't ignore him," Avaron said sourly. "He's trying to get into bed with Daddy and the Thornes, just so you know."

"I'll consider myself warned." Riza made a face. "And even though Roy and Maes have been ordered to attend the ball, I'll still be escort-less. I'm sure Keddrick will have Uncle Bob's approval to at least ask me for a few dances. I'm sure by now he has a date."

"Walchiria Fabel," Avaron replied, rolling her eyes.

"Of course, the richest of the rich." Riza smiled slightly. "She'll keep him occupied."

"I'm more interested in the two fine officers you said were going to the ball." Avaron's gaze settled on Riza's companions and the boys all but preened at the attention.

"They're spoken for. Their great military assignment is to suck up to the Gardyners and the Nedveds." Riza chuckled as what she knew lay ahead for her friends.

"Poor boys." Avaron leaned over and patted their knees as her maid arrived with the tea.

"Who are you taking, Avaron?" Roy responded to Avaron's touch with a boyish grin. Riza wished she had known it was so easy to make him notice a girl.

"I refuse to give credence to this archaic system of husband hunting. I'm going with no one," Avaron said as the maid poured for them. Her eyes lit up. "You can be my date, Riza."

"Well, that will turn heads." Riza replied, trying to ignore the hormonal expressions on Mustang and Hughes' faces. She was embarrassed by them. Why did she even like Mustang? Sometimes it was a mystery. "But that's why I came today, Avaron. I'll need my mother's jewelry...and help getting a dress. I have nothing to wear and I've been told I can't wear my dress uniform."

"I see." Avaron got up and pulled down a crystal decanter from a nearby bookcase. She dolloped the amber whiskey within into every cup of tea. "A little whiskey to take off the chill."

"Thank you," Roy said with a smile. "Don't ever tell my father but I think I prefer whiskey to wine."

"You do him proud." Maes wagged his head and Roy flashed him one of his infamous pouts.

Avaron beckoned them up. "Come along. You two will be bored stiff by talk of dresses and jewelry and shoes. Truth be told, Riza and I will be, too. As much as I'd love to leave this ball to my baby sister, Igrayne, I can't. But there's no sense in torturing you." She led them to a nearby room dominated by a slate topped pool table. "You boys have fun." Avaron draped an arm around Riza's shoulders. "And you and I are going to talk gowns. I'm buying yours and no arguments. My date can't go looking shoddy."

Riza sighed. "As if anyone would notice me one way or the other." She gave Roy a pointed look but he was already infatuated with the pool table. She shook her head and gave over to her friend's planning session.

X X X

"Sorry you two had to put up with an hour's worth of girl talk," Riza said as they hiked up the walkway to an old, stone house in a state of some disrepair. She tried to disappear further into her jacket to escape the chilly wind

"It's all right. Roy and I enjoyed the pool table." Maes thrust his hands deeper into his jacket as the plume from the moisture in his breath circled overhead.

Riza pursed her lips. "Then why does Roy look unhappy?"

"He's under the delusion I cheat," Maes replied cheerfully.

"Well, that would be the only explanation for why he lost. After all, he can't possibly be bad at something." The corners of Riza's mouth cat walked upwards.

Roy's glare could have set the fat pine trees lining the drive on fire. "I think you're both perilously close to insubordination."

"I think you're still delusional," Maes shot back amiably. "I enjoyed meeting your friend, Riza. She's fun."

"And not a very good fit for Rennsa...whatever," Roy said, tucking his gloved hands up under his armpits.

"No, she's not. In fact, she was thrilled when I joined the military. She touted it as proof that women don't have to be just wives," Riza said, looking at the strange car in the driveway. She was fairly certain her uncle wouldn't have the money to afford that. "Avaron wants to be a journalist. I'm sure once she graduates, she'll head straight to Central. Mr. Lagana is content to let her go because Igrayne is absolutely perfect Rennsalaer material so he'll get his one good marriage."

"At least you won't have to go to the dance entirely alone," Roy said. "I thought it was rather unfair of General Householder to assign you to your own school and send you in alone. I guess, I'm assuming there is no one from Portsmouth what you'd want to take."

"No one who isn't already going with someone else," she replied, giving Roy a look. Her lips thinned when she perceived her shot did not penetrate his armor, thick headed alchemy freak. There was a twinkle in Maes' eyes. Had he noticed? Riza hoped not.

"For a moment there, I wasn't sure Avaron particularly liked men, then I thought maybe she was interested in me...or Roy," Maes said as Riza knocked on the door.

"She would have pulled either of you down like a wounded deer if I weren't there," Riza replied wryly with a subtle shake of her head."Much to your protest, I'm sure."

Maes chuckled as the door swung open. A thin-faced man with receding blond hair stood there, looking irate at the intrusion. His long hawkish nose twitched for a moment then he worked up something that might have been a smile.

"Riza, dear. You made it and you brought...friends," the man said, taking a step back away from the door.

Riza went inside the vast foyer. She tried to ignore all the new cracks in the plaster walls. "Hello, Uncle Bob. This is Major Roy Mustang, my immediate superior officer, and another of our team, Lieutenant Maes Hughes. I thought it was be a nice gesture to bring them along since General Householder has appointed them liaisons to the townspeople."

"Ah, yes of course, welcome to my home, or should I say welcome back, Roy, since this was your home for some time. I haven't seen you since just after my brother's funeral," Bob said, his brown eyes narrowing harshly. Riza knew her uncle wasn't happy to see Roy.

"Thank you, sir," Roy replied more politely than he felt. Teacher had very few warm thoughts towards his brother and Roy more than understood why. Teacher hadn't trusted Riza's care with the man and that was all Roy really needed to know.

"I'll confess I was wondering why Riza was going about town with two men," a new voice said and Keddrick Thorne slipped out of the den. "Sorry, didn't mean to eavesdrop. I'm just here to discuss some business with your uncle, Riza."

"I was wondering whose car that was. This shouldn't really take long, Uncle. Mostly I just need to poke through some of the stuff I left behind. You and I can visit another time, Uncle Bob," Riza said, looking almost desperate to avoid this man.

"Nonsense, you can visit with Keddrick and me. I'm sure he'd love to talk with you. You can send the gentlemen upstairs to fetch whatever you need. I'm sure Mustang knows his way around your room," Bob leered, his voice more befitting a bordello than a historied estate.

Roy's face flushed, unable to meet anyone's gaze. He pointedly ignored Maes' questioning look. "Actually, sir, there were several areas of the house Teacher held as off limits to me during my tenure here. Miss Hawkeye's room was definitely one of them."

Bob chuckled lowly and Keddrick looked equally amused at the discomfort Bob had sown. "Yes, speaking of off limits rooms, I had the locked room in the attic opened. There are things in there that might interest you, Mustang. Feel free to go up and explore while I talk to my niece."

Roy's hands twitched at the thought. Teacher had made certain that that room was absolutely forbidden to him. The thought of Bob intruding into it bothered him, not so much in that it was a betrayal of Teacher's wishes. No, Roy worried that the room was probably locked because it contained things dangerous to those who didn't understand alchemy, like Bob. "Thank you, sir."

Riza took Roy's hand and led him aside. Maes almost followed then saw he wasn't needed. She whispered, "I have to talk to him now. Go to my room and see if there are any gowns worthy of going to a ball. You know what Rennsalaer's formal affairs are like. I don't want to take Avaron's money and let her buy me a dress. And I doubt there's any jewelry left that my uncle wouldn't have already sold but if there is, pack that, too."

"Of course," he said without much enthusiasm.

"Thanks. And keep out of trouble in Father's locked room." She gave Roy a knowing look.

His expression was one of deep pain. "I'll try."

Riza just rolled her eyes and headed for her uncle's den. Bob moved in her wake. Keddrick hesitated, a smug look spreading across his handsome face.

"Do run along and play fetch while the important people talk, vintner's son." Keddrick's eyes hardened. "Yes, I do remember you, Hawkeye's pet alchemy freak. You haven't grown much." Thorne's lips twisted into a vicious grin.

"Does Riza know how you don't like alchemy? I'm not sure she'd approve, given how important her father was to the craft," Roy replied, his cheeks hot at the insult.

"And what did it get him? Destitution and an early grave, leaving that dear, sweet girl alone. I'm sure I can show her life doesn't have to be the way it is now. She's far too good for the military," Keddrick said in mock pleasantness. "That's where poor people go so they don't starve to death."

"Tell that to our Fuhrer," Roy shot back, sensing Maes taking a step closer to him just in case he needed controlling. "I suppose you can't help being so ugly about it. After all, I have something you want." His eyes flicked towards the room Riza had disappeared into.

"Run along and play with your chemicals, Squint." Keddrick waved a dismissive hand at him. "Hawkeye will never endure a half breed like you sniffing around his precious niece."

Maes' strong hand clamped on Roy's shoulder before the hot headed youth could do something. "Leave it," he hissed.

Roy spun on his heel and stalked toward the grand staircase that swept in a gentle arc toward the upper floors. Keddrick went into the den, laughing.

"Notice everyone but you seems to think you have it bad for Riza," Maes said softly as he caught up with Roy.

"Walk in the middle of the treads. They're rotted. Maybe you'll fall through," Roy replied sourly, sticking close to the wall as he ascended the stairs.

"Getting pissy just proves a point." Maes arched an eyebrow at him as he pressed close to the faded floral silk wallpaper as he ascended the stairs.

"I'm pissy because you know how I don't like comments about my eyes." Roy involuntarily touched the slanted corner of one eye.

"You're proud of your mother, right? What do you care that other people might not like your dad taking a Xing wife?" Maes said, his voice calm as he tried to bring down the heat boiling inside his friend.

Roy let out a pent up breath. "I don't but still...you don't know what it's like, Maes. You didn't grow up with kids making fun of the way you look."

"Do you not see the glasses sitting on my nose?" Maes replied, shoving them up for emphasis. "There was a time I'd punch you if you called me four-eyes but I don't let it get to me any more." He paused on the second floor landing as Roy continued on. "Are we going to the attic first?"

"Yes, I need to see what's in that room."

"Just can't wait to get your hands on those chemicals." Maes grinned.

"It's not that. It's..." Roy paused and peered over the balcony. "Not here. Keddrick might be down there listening in."

"Wouldn't put it past him," Maes replied. "He is jealous of you."

"How do you figure? He's rich enough to never have to work a day in his life. He's handsome and he knows it. Why would he be jealous of me?"

"Because all his father, the lumber king, can give him is sawdust. Yours can give you the best wine in Amestris." Maes smiled, seeing Roy's spirits lifting a bit.

"Good point." Roy seemed cheered a bit.

"And you have Riza. It doesn't matter than you're just her commanding officer and friend, and maybe nothing more. Thorne knows that she chose this life. All she had to do was stay at Rennsalaer another year or two and she could have married well and not have to worry about a thing. She took hard labor and you over him and that's what he can't stand," Maes said as Roy opened the attic door.

Roy smirked. "You know, you have a very good point there, Maes."

Maes chuckled. "I always do."

Roy rolled his eyes and went into the dusty room. He led the way through discarded junk to the far side of the room where a thick door with an even stouter lock sat half opened. "The reason I want in there is alchemy is very dangerous in the wrong hands."

"I'd say it's dangerous even in the right hands," Maes replied in a nervous way that made Roy flinch. "But I get your meaning. I wouldn't trust anything dangerous to Riza's uncle. That man would probably manage to do the worst thing possible with it or am I misjudging him?"

Roy made a disgusted noise. "You're not."

"This is what you were trying not to tell me last night, wasn't it? About Hawkeye?" Maes asked as Roy went inside the room.

Dust cloaked the room, giving everything a fuzzy look and immediately getting into the men's sinuses. Alembic arrays and gas burners sat higgledy-piggledy on the tables but Roy's attention was on the book shelf on the back wall. "It was. I didn't think it was my place to tell you that the estate had run out of money a long time ago and that Bob Hawkeye is a creep, but I think you can see that for yourself."

"No wonder she wanted us here for support and where are we? In the attic being not helpful." Maes moped.

"It would have only caused more trouble if we tried to stay. Don't worry, if Riza needs us, we'll know," Roy said distractedly as he pulled down one of the books. "This is a journal I've never seen."

"Why would your teacher hide it from you?" Maes leaned on the door frame, not really wanting to be in the musty room. Let Roy deal with all the stale smells.

"Some alchemy is very dangerous. He might have thought I wasn't ready or it might have been forbidden." Roy couldn't keep the bitterness out of his voice. He wanted to believe Hawkeye had good intentions that maybe he really wasn't ready but at the time, and even now, it had hurt.

"Forbidden?" Maes asked uneasily.

"Some things are not allowed, like various types of human transmutations. Some biologic alchemy is acceptable, the healing type. Mother practiced that. Making chimeras, if such a thing is even possible, bringing back the dead, those are strictly forbidden. I can't imagine Teacher was trying that. His alchemy, like mine, was fire based." Roy tapped the stylized salamander stamped into the leather cover of the journal.

"You can bring back the dead?" Maes' eyes widened in shock.

"Not that I know of. I've never heard of it working and usually...well, bad things happen to the alchemist who tries and that is mostly just rumor. I guess there are stories about cities that disappeared overnight because someone tried something forbidden," Roy shrugged, disinterestedly.

"What's a chimera?" Maes took off his glasses and wiped his watering eyes. The dust was getting to him.

"A hybrid human and animal. It's supposed to give the human the special abilities of the animal and no, I don't know why you'd want to do that. It's repulsive," Roy shuddered. "Oh, look, Ivanovic's book on sulfur. I've been wanting a copy of that."

"Fascinating stuff, I'm sure," Maes said dryly but it was lost on Roy. "Would Mr. Hawkeye let you have this stuff?"

"Not for free," Roy said miserably.

"You do have that big stipend, you know," Maes reminded him, going over to look at a crusted alembic. "Keddrick has it wrong. I've seen the figures. You are far from poor."

"Hmm, I could get Father to send a case or two of wine to sweeten the deal. Hawkeye likes wine as much as money." Roy nodded. "I'll see what he wants for it."

"Just try not to look too interested in it." Maes stepped back into the main attic. "Maybe we should go look in Riza's room. I'm sure she doesn't want it to be a long visit."

"Good point." Roy reluctantly put the books back on the shelf, though the temptation to hide the slim journal in his coat was strong.

Roy led the way to Riza's rooms. Nothing much had been changed since he had been in the oppressive room the day of the funeral. "You check the boxes for jewelry. I'll take the closet." Roy opened the dark walnut armoire.

"This room is a bit...dreary. I wouldn't have expected it of Riza," Maes said, inspecting the first jewelry box. It played a melancholy tune when he lifted the lid.

"Ugly as it is, the furniture is actually worth a good deal but I doubt Bob knows it or he'd have sold the set. I think it was from her great grandfather," Roy said, poking in the armoire. "Ugh, all these horrid Rennsalaer uniforms." He held out the grey and ecru blouse and skirt combo for Maes inspect.

He made a face. "No wonder she ran screaming from the place. Looks like this box has been cleaned out. Pretty little singing bird though." Maes pointed to the enameled mechanical bird warbling its sad song.

"I see nothing that would be good for the ball, though I think Riza knew that. This was just an excuse because she didn't want to come here alone," Roy said, pulling a black dress out of the armoire. "This is lovely but too short in the hem." Roy displayed the black Chantilly silk lace dress with its black silk under dress for Maes. Two silk ribbons with tassels hung from the satin cummerbund.

"I'd like to see Hawkeye in that." Maes whistled appreciatively.

"I never saw her in anything remotely sexy." Roy's voice went husky. "I have no idea why she was hiding this away."

"You've been to other balls. She had to wear something pretty then," Maes pointed out.

"That doesn't count. It wasn't for me." Roy put the dress on the bed. "Okay, one possibility, even if I know that shows too much leg. No jewelry at all?"

"Nope." Maes opened another chest. He peered at it intently then began feeling along the inside of the barreled lid.

"She has a Xing silk robe?" Surprise rippled through his voice. Roy took out the blue damask silk covered with peonies and vases.

"I don't think that counts as a ball gown, Roy," Maes said sardonically. "Your Xing relatives sure like their color, don't they?"

"You should see the stuff I left back at Dad's. Mom thought I looked good in red." Roy pulled out a gown of pink and pale green decorated with embroidered roses within the alternating stripes. A large bouquet of roses was embroidered over the belly and the bodice was corseted. "I give up. This is the only other gown in here and it's out of date. The Rennsa girls would never let her live it down." He put it on the bed then went to open the drawers of the armoire.

"I think I have something here." Maes peeled down the velvet lining of the box and shook out a handful of jewels. He let Roy take a look. "We could probably eat for a year or two on all of this."

Three sets of earrings and one ring rested in Maes' palm. One set were dangles that had a diamond flower and a faceted black diamond sphere set in platinum; another were large oval garnets surrounded by smaller garnets on a pyramid based of the stone dangling three teardrop garnets; the last set were chandeliers of two pyramids of blue topaz dangling a last teardrop of topaz, all of the teardrops surrounded by a circle of diamonds. The ring was hexagonal with a diamond in every corner and the lines done in diamonds around a central diamond that was orbited by a halo of diamonds.

"These are some heirlooms. The black diamonds I know were her mother's. There's a portrait of her wearing them," Roy said, plucking the ring out of Maes' hand. "I like this. It looks like an array."

Maes rolled his eyes. "You would think that."

The sarcasm didn't dent Roy's armor. "We should probably take those out of here. Can you hide them in your coat? It's not likely they'll search us but I can only imagine the stink Bob will make if he sees what Riza was holding out on him." Roy went back to his search of the armoire.

"Think we should look for Riza?" Maes asked, pocketing the gems then pushing the liner back into the box.

"Not yet." Roy scooped up a pair of purple leather boots covered with steel beads. Black laces ran from practically toe to the above ankle top. "I like these. Where did she wear this stuff? I swear I never saw her in it."

"I told you, you never came out of the library. She could have paraded naked all day for all you'd know," Maes said, investigating the final jewelry box.

"I would have noticed that." Looking as if he wished she would have done that, Roy ran a thumb over the leather as he put them on the bed. "I really like those."

"Do I have to hear about your foot thing again?" Maes groaned, poking around the box looking for more hidden compartments.

"Do I have to hear about your newest girlfriend?" Roy snarled back.

Maes pointed a finger at Roy. "No feet!"

"No this week's love of your life." Roy opened a drawer and his eyes lit up. He pulled a lacy confection out of the drawer and shook it out, revealing a frothy nightgown of alternating ecru silk and lace. He fingered the wide sleeves and twirled it showing off the train. "Now, I'm damn sure she never wore this."

"She probably feared for her virtue with you around," Maes replied, sitting on the bed, grinning as he waved off the little dust cloud from the too-long-shut-up bedding.

Roy tucked the outfit under his chin, spreading it out over his body. "Pink ribbons? Does she seem like the pink ribbon type?" He flicked the pink silk lace that closed the nightgown.

"I don't care. I'd just like to see her in that." Maes' head bobbed appreciatively as he leered at his mental image.

"You and me both!" Roy froze, hearing a gun cocking behind him.

"Who told you to paw through my bedclothes," Riza growled then belatedly added, "Sir."

"You did!" Roy said, twirling around, still clutching the nightgown. "You said find you a ball gown."

Riza eased the hammer down and put her gun back in her purse. "And you expected to find one inside a drawer?"

"Found this sort of dress, didn't I?" Roy pouted like a guilty child.

"Why don't I just give you two my underwear to play with while I'm at it?" Riza snapped and they gave her twin hungry looks. Her eyes widened. "Avaron is right. Once past the age of thirteen, men should be locked away until they're thirty and sane again. Did you two do anything constructive at all?"

"I found those things but really neither dress would work." Roy gestured at the bed with the night gown.

Riza tore it out of his hands. "Hmmm, no, they really don't. I do like that black one though. Where did you think I was going to wear those heeled boots?"

"Anywhere you could walk over him with them, while wearing that nightie, most likely." Maes leaned back on the bed, leering at them both with a suggestive raise of his eyebrows.

"Shut it, Hughes!" Roy growled. Riza blushed brightly, and shoved the nightie back in the drawer. The men looked disappointed.

"I was more constructive. I found some pieces of jewelry inside the lid of one box." Maes patted his pocket. "I can put them back there if you want me to, but I thought you might want to sneak them out of the house."

Riza relaxed a bit. "Thank you. I was hoping they were still there. I was so upset after father died, and had so little time to report to the academy that I left them behind. We'd better go. Keddrick will only keep Uncle Bob occupied for so long. I'll have to take Avaron up on the offer of a dress. It's going to be a bad enough ball without me being out of fashion. Keddrick has lost none of his interest in me and with Walchiria on his arm, this will be...ugly."

"We'll do what we can to keep him away from you but that won't be easy to do and still keep those good relations with the towns people Householder was talking about," Roy said.

Riza sighed, putting the dresses back. "I know. Thanks for the offer though." She put the boots away, much to Roy's disappointment. Riza just raised an eyebrow at him and his cheeks reddened. She started for the staircase.

Bob and Keddrick were waiting for them at the base of the stairs. "I was beginning to wonder what was keeping you, dear," Bob said, something salacious oozing through his voice.

"Nostalgia, I suppose," Riza lied with ease. "We need to get back to base."

"Of course. Please do come again, gentlemen," Bob said with enthusiasm they doubted he felt.

"I will, sir. I'm interested in the contents of that attic room," Roy said. "I'd like to have them."

Bob's eyes gleamed with avarice as his long nose twitched like a weasel's. "I'm sure we can come up with a price for the lot."

"You think on it and let me know, sir. You can reach me at the base when you arrive at the price you think's fair," Roy said expansively.

"I will." Bob shot Keddrick a conspiratorial look. Roy knew they thought they were going to price it out of his range and humiliate him probably in front of Riza. Let them have their fun. He'd trump them in the end.

"Nice meeting you, sir," Hughes said, heading for the door.

"Likewise, I'm sure," Bob said.

"Do you want a ride back to base, Riza?" Keddrick offered, taking a step toward her.

"Oh, thank you but, no. The walk will do us good," Riza said with mock cheerfulness. "Goodbye, Uncle."

Riza waited until they were at the end of the driveway and headed towards base before speaking again. "It'll be a lot colder day than this before I let myself be alone with that man."

"I can't say that I blame you. Just a few minutes with him and I feel like I need a bath," Maes said.

"Try growing up with him." Riza shuddered. "I'm much rather deal with Drachmaian insurgents."

"Why do I get the feeling those are fatal last words," Roy said gloomily.

Maes patted him on the back. "Because as I've said before, you're a pessimistic bastard. Come on, if the fire isn't going in the common room, you can put yourself to good use."

"Go to hell." Roy's eyes narrowed to onyx slits

"I think Maes has a good point, though thinking about a nice big fire just makes me want some toasted marshmallows." Riza shut her eyes for a moment, day dreaming. "And forget I'm surrounded by sex-addled teenaged boys."

"Yeah good luck with that," Roy said with a smirk. "If there's no fire going when we get home, I'll make you one, Riza. Maes can stay out in the cold."

"Thanks, buddy. Just remember, no matter what, you have to sleep in the same room with me tonight." Maes shook Roy's shoulder. Roy just rolled his eyes and Riza wagged her head. Given her choices of high class snobby men and down to earth - if too horny - soldiers, Roy suspected she'd choose them every time.


	4. A Shooting

Chapter Four

"How could this happen here?" Rozamond Mock shrilled, slamming her hands down on her mahogany desk. "What are your soldiers doing about it, Elemer?"

Roy glanced at General Householder and decided that he'd rather be out in the field with Maes and Riza who were inspecting Rennsalaer's shot-up riding stable. It would be better than being trapped in Mrs. Mock's office with the headmistress and four of the town's most esteemed members, including Thorne senior and his son. Keddrick stared at him as if Roy were the one to pull the trigger on the stable.

"We don't even know if it was the Drachmaians, Rozamond. What would they have to gain by shooting up a barn?" Elemer Householder replied, trying to put Mock and the concerned fathers at ease.

"Well, how should we know, Householder? That's your arena," Thorne grumbled, absently twisting a thick-banded ruby ring around his finger.

"Your stables are rather close to the forest's edge, Rozamond. It could be a hunter got a little overenthusiastic and blasted the barn by mistake," Householder replied, standing more stiffly and sounding more formal than Roy had ever heard him.

"That's the best you can do?" Fabel rubbed a hand over his huge belly where it strained the limits of his suit jacket's strength.

"No, sir, the best we can do is to double our patrols in the area and two of our men are at the stables conducting an investigation," Roy said, his temper getting the better of his judgment. Householder just raised an eyebrow at him as if shocked Roy had taken the initiative.

"Who is this boy, General?" Gardyner glared at Roy for his intrusion. No one had to tell the young man he was deemed unworthy of even being in the same room.

"He's Major Roy Mustang and he's in charge of the investigation," Householder said and Roy decided that probably wasn't to his favor. It was a convenient way for Householder to avoid the blame if things didn't go well.

"My son knows the little scrag, some vintner's boy. You couldn't find someone educated to head up the investigation?" Thorne said, looking at Mustang as if he had stepped in manure before coming inside.

"Elemer? This boy?" Mock sounded hesitant, as if unsure why her school was being treated so lightly as to put a teen in charge of the investigation.

Householder had laid a subtle hand on Roy's arm and he was grateful for it. It was the reminder he needed that he couldn't speak his mind to Thorne. "Mr. Thorne, I assure you, Major Mustang isn't some uneducated child. He's a State Alchemist, very intelligent, and he was trained right here in Portsmouth. He was Hawkeye's apprentice. You don't get to be an alchemist if you don't have a good head on your shoulders. It's exacting mental work." Householder took a step toward the window, looking out as if examining what might be going on at the stable. "He's one of the two officers I asked to fill your request for the ball, Rozamond."

Her washed-out blue eyes swept over Roy. Her level of approval for him seemed to be on the rise. "A State Alchemist? I'm sure we'd all feel safer with one of them around."

Roy tried not to be offended at her sudden change of tune, at least it was in his favor.

"Speak for yourself, Rozamond," Fabel said, wrinkling his nose at Roy. "I don't trust the freaks, never have."

"Thank you for saying so, Mrs. Mock." Roy spared the man a tight look but said nothing to him. "I'd like to speak to the groom who was in the stable when the shooting happened, if I may. He might be able to shed a little light on whoever did this."

"That would be Geoff Eld. I sent the lad to his room since he was so shaken up. The grooms board with the cooks and maids across campus. Do you know where that is?" Mock asked, settling down at her desk.

"I'm sure he's well acquainted with the servants quarters, Rozamond," Gardyner said, managing to package enough snobbery for ten people into those words.

"I can find my way," Roy said through gritted teeth. He couldn't afford to sacrifice good sense for sake of pride.

"I think that about concludes our business here," Householder said, turning towards the door in Mock's austere office.. "Mustang and his men can handle the questioning."

"That's it?" Gardyner asked. "Shouldn't you at least look at the stable yourself, General?" He didn't seem very eager to trust Roy's judgment.

Householder looked at Roy, his big moustache twitching. "I suppose that wouldn't be out of order."

"I'd welcome your input, General," Roy said expansively. When he was awarded his State Alchemy paperwork and named 'Flame,' Roy had been told by the bored colonel who did the indoctrination that there would be many times in his career as an officer that he'd have to know whose butt to kiss and when to kiss it. Right now, in front of these snobs, when it would hurt his pride the most, seemed to be exactly the right time. The look on Householder's face said Roy wasn't wrong about that.

"Rozamond, if you and your patrons want to come with us just for a quick look-see, please do," Householder said, and none of them looked thrilled by the idea. Roy also knew that they couldn't afford to say no, now that they had put up such a fuss about his credentials.

The soldiers waited for the wealthy patrons and the headmistress to suit up for the cold and they all started trudging towards the stables.

Keddrick finally broke his silence on the way. "I don't see how alchemy will help in this situation."

Householder paused and Roy followed suit. The general glanced at the young man then over in the clearing away from both stables and school. A heavy fire ring of stone sat stuffed with trash and broken branches from the last snow fall. "Is that for burning, Mrs. Mock?" He pointed to the fire ring.

She nodded. "Today's burning day but they haven't gotten to it yet, what with all the disruption from the shooting."

"Perhaps a demonstration is in order, Mustang," Householder said, waving at the ring.

"Of course, General." Roy took a step away from them and slipped on his static glove. With a snap of his fingers and a quick transmutation, a bonfire started in the pit, crackling loudly.

"Major Mustang is also known as the Flame Alchemist," Householder said proudly. "Mustang is quite a potent weapon."

"Oh my!" Mock pressed her fingers to her lips. "That is...well, I hope that nothing like that will be needed at the ball. I don't want to save the girls only to lose the school."

"I'm quite careful with my abilities, ma'am," Roy assured her, sparing a harsh, 'don't mess with me,' look for Keddrick. The other young man had gone very pale from the demonstration of power.

"I should hope so. That isn't a power that should be put into the hands of a boy," Fabel grumbled, seemingly impressed in spite of himself.

"No one put the power in my hands, sir. I earned the skills through my own efforts. Alchemic powers aren't just given. I know all too well the risks inherent in what I can do," Roy said evenly. He didn't want to overplay his hand. "Hawkeye gave me a deep respect for the power I wield."

No one seemed particularly convinced of that. Roy just tried to put it out of mind as he trudged through the snow to the stable. Both Hughes and Hawkeye were outside, taking measurements of the bullet holes and the angle at which they might have gone into the wood at. They straightened up and saluted as Mustang and Householder approached. Roy looked at Keddrick out of the corner of his eye. His rich rival didn't seem happy to see Riza in the military blues.

"Anything to report?" Roy asked, trying to sound officious and in control. His friends looked annoyed at him.

"Not yet. We found some footprints in the snow but there's not much they can tell us. There's a trail just beyond those trees," Hughes said, gesturing. "There are many different sets of footprints."

"We did find something odd here," Hawkeye said, beckoning Roy closer to the stable. A shotgun blast patterned the wood near the window. "That's the grooms' area." She pointed to the chairs snugged into the excess hay and tack that hung on the walls. "Where they'd sit to take a rest. It could be the shooter was aiming at someone in the window."

"They wouldn't be a very good shot if that's the case," Roy said, examining the blast pattern. "There was a groom inside at the time of the shooting. Hughes, can you finish here alone? I'd like to take Hawkeye with me to question the groom. She might know the boy, which would help."

"I have things in hand," Hughes replied, looking slightly unhappy about getting left behind in the cold.

"Good. Then, if there's nothing else, General Householder, Mrs. Mock, I'd like to go talk to Geoff Eld before he forgets something that might be important for us to know," Roy said.

"No, you go do what you need to, Major," Householder said, looking pleased with Roy's conduct. "I'll tie things up here."

"Thank you, sir. Come on, Hawkeye, you're with me," Roy said, his eyes on Keddrick, the challenge evident.

"Of course, sir." Riza walked past Keddrick with a challenge of her own, Roy noticed. He also noticed Keddrick didn't seem deterred. Roy didn't have time to dwell on it, however. He did have a job to do.

"Sir, I have to ask," Riza started once they were well away from the stables, cutting across campus to the forgotten corner where the servants lived, "can I expect all these showings of pride and the gnashing of teeth over me all the time or do you think you'll get it under control so only a few people will see it every time Keddrick baits you?"

Roy felt the color going to his cheeks. "I don't know what you mean. I did need you along for this. Those patrons know you. Keddrick made sure to tell them all I'm some vintner's son. Gardyner more or less asked me if I could read. Wait until he finds out I'm escorting his daughter to the dance."

"Oh, it is going to be such a fun night." Riza pinched the bridge of her nose. "Try not to let the insults to your pride get the better of you, Roy. Keddrick knows he can make you do stupid things and he'll be sure to manipulate you into doing them."

"I know," Roy said bitterly. "I'm trying not to. I thought I did pretty good with those men."

"That bonfire had nothing to do with you showing off?" The look she gave him seemed overly harsh to Roy.

"Householder ordered me to. Keddrick called into question my usefulness. The General thought a demonstration of power was in order," Roy said defensively.

Riza just shook her head. "Do you honestly think Geoff knows anything about this or was that just a show for Keddrick?"

"No, it wasn't. You pointed out that someone might have been taking a shot at whoever was in the window. That would be Geoff. I don't think Drachmaian insurgents would take the time to pepper a riding stable. What would be the point? If it wasn't someone poaching on school grounds, then I have to consider a groom might be a target for whatever reason."

"Well, Geoff always gave me the impression he was trying to look down the girls' shirts whenever he'd help us mount up." Riza wrinkled her nose. "Then acted offended when we were offended that he'd try, as if it were some compliment."

"Guys rarely think that girls don't want us to see them naked. We just assume you do," Roy said, wincing at his honesty.

"I've figured that out. At least you mostly never ogled me when you lived with us," Riza said, something in her tone sounding disappointed.

"Your father knew the secrets of flame alchemy. I thought it wise not to arouse his temper and me having anything to do with you seemed to do it," he admitted, thinking he would have liked to have seen her naked even without the tattoo.

Riza crossed her arms over her chest, giving him a sad look. There was a frisson of shame in her eyes. "I know."

Roy was afraid she thought he didn't find her attractive so he tried to explain himself. "I know why now, of course, but I've wondered ever since did he think you'd never-"

"I don't want to talk about this, sir!" Her tone was so strident, so upset that Roy gave her a wide eyed look and dropped the subject.

They both sank into an uneasy silence until they arrived at Geoff's tiny room in the rambling servants' quarters. The teenager peered at them with wide, nervous eyes. "Can I help you? Have you gotten lost?" he asked.

"No, we came looking for you, Geoff," Riza said, drawing the groom's attention.

He blinked at her. "Miss Hawkeye? I didn't recognize you, ma'am, in that uniform. Why would the military be looking for me?"

"You were there when the stable was shot up," Roy said, pressing into the room. "We'd like to talk to you about it."

"Of course, but I don't know anything." Geoff looked around his room as if expecting chairs to suddenly manifest themselves for his visitors. "I can't really offer you a place to sit."

"It's all right. This shouldn't take long. Why don't you sit?" Roy said in a tone not to be argued with, expertly manipulating the young man into a position of submission. "Tell us about this morning."

"There's not much to tell. I was in the stable and I heard the blast hitting the wall," Geoff said raising his hands and letting them fall.

"That's it?" Roy gave him a look of disbelief.

"Where were you in the stable Geoff?" Riza took the notepad out of her jacket pocket and made a production of writing something.

"Giving the horses some oats and corn," Geoff replied, eyeing the pad nervously.

"You weren't taking a break, maybe?" Roy pressed. "Sitting in front of the window, maybe?"

A fine beading of sweat broke out over the boy's face. "Well...maybe I was done feeding the horses by then. I guess I could have been sitting down."

"There weren't any Drachmaians roaming the woods were there?" Roy smirked, moving into Geoff's personal space. "You know who shot the barn."

Geoff shook his head, worming away from Roy.

"What happened, Geoff? Are you afraid Mrs. Mock will be angry if she finds out the truth?" Riza asked, her tone gentle.

Geoff crumbled. "She'll sack me."

"Let's hear it," Roy demanded, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Aneta Vance's father did it. He caught me with Aneta last night and promised to make me regret it," Geoff whispered, not looking at the soldiers. "Are you going to tell Mrs. Mock?"

"I don't see as we'll have a choice, Geoff," Riza said. "If you get lucky, she might not blame you for what a girl's irate father does."

Geoff's face said he wasn't holding out much hope.

"I'd stay out of sight if I were you," Roy cautioned wisely. "I'll speak to the General and see how he wants to handle Mr. Vance."

"Thank you, sir," Geoff replied glumly.

"Hawkeye." Roy gestured to the door. They walked silently in the cold for a few moments.

"I suppose you weren't too wrong to worry about what my father might have done if he caught you looking at me," Riza said morosely, once they were crossing the campus once more. "Apparently fathers can't be expected to keep their wits about them where their daughters are concerned."

"Some can't," Roy said in a tone that suggested experience. "Riza, I'm sorry about before."

"I was about to say that to you. I shouldn't have snapped at you." She seemed pale and somehow diminished. Roy hated seeing her like that.

"No, it's all right. I didn't mean it like it sounded. I don't think there's anything wrong with you. It's just...I don't know why he made you part of the great work, not like that." Roy wet his lips. "But I understand why you don't want to talk about it. Why don't we just report back to the general and Mrs. Mock and maybe get the constables out to Mr. Vance's home before he actually figures out how to aim his shotgun."

"That sounds like a reasonable course of action, sir," she replied, but her eyes were far away, looking backwards in time, Roy didn't doubt, probably wondering if there was something different she could have done in regards to her father.

X X X

"Damn it." Roy slammed his hand against the barely warm radiator.

"I swear Roy, if you whine about it being cold, I'll start at the beginning with Damariss' latest letter to me," Maes threatened, turning down his covers.

Roy glared. He already heard more about Maes' newest girl than he cared to. "I wonder what I could do to get a room with a fireplace?"

Maes stretched out on his bed. "I wouldn't argue with that. At least then you'd be useful."

"Die." Roy yanked the covers down and huddled up under them. "I think there's a hole in this wall or something."

Maes snorted. "Again I say, if you didn't weigh only forty kilograms, you wouldn't get so cold."

"I weigh more than forty kilo," Roy grated out. He rolled onto his side and looked across the room to his friend. "Do you think I'm acting too proud where Thorne is concerned?"

Maes smirked. "You? Proud? Perish the thought."

A hurt expression filtered across Roy's face. "I'm being serious, Maes. Riza accused me of it."

"I wonder why. Could it be that you're the most prideful man I've ever met?" Maes laughed.

"I am not!" Roy wore a truly shocked expression, as if it never crossed his mind he was too proud.

"Roy, you are arrogant. Not that you don't have good reason to be. What you can do, that talent of yours, you walk around here with the power of a god and you know it," Maes said, sobering. "You aren't normally too obnoxious with your pride, not like Thorne is. He likes putting it in everyone's face that he's better than we are but you do have your moments. Lately, whenever Thorne is around is a moment."

Roy tucked his covers up to his chin, contemplating that. "I'm that bad?"

"Not most days but sometimes, yes. Being male doesn't help. We tend to turn into peacocks whenever a peahen struts by," Maes replied with amused practicality.

Roy seized on that face-saving suggestion. "True."

"So, why do you care what Riza thinks of you? I thought it wasn't like that!" Maes crowed.

"It's not!" Roy blushed. "She said I was giving the wrong impression to the town fathers and I was worried, that's all."

"You could set your bed clothes on fire with that blush. Go peddle your crap elsewhere. I'm not buying." Maes set his glasses on the night stand. "Again I remind you that she's off limits, Major."

"Shut up, Lieutenant." Roy made a face. "Well, at least all the military will do is reprimand me. Her father would have set me on fire."

"I suppose that would be a deterrent, yes." Maes rolled up on one elbow. "Roy, be careful around Thorne. I don't like the feelings I'm getting from that guy. He's dangerous."

"I know. I only remember him a little. I didn't have much to do with the Rennsa...whatever crowd or in his case the Mesick crowd," Roy said. "But what I do remember I don't like. There were reasons Teacher wouldn't do business with the Thornes. They get what they want at any cost."

"And what he wants seems to be Hawkeye," Maes said, his eyes hard and flat.

"Hawkeye can take care of herself without any help from me. I think that might just piss her off," Roy said, wondering how to best handle the situation with her and Thorne. "Not that that would stop me if he tried something."

"Or even if he didn't. You and Thorne are definitely fire and gasoline and the last thing the Flame Alchemist needs is more fuel," Maes said wryly.

"Yeah, well, he'd do well to keep his fuel away from Riza. Thorne does that and there'll be no problems," Roy huffed, picturing Thorne with Riza and hating it.

"Because it's not like that at all, Maes. You're imagining things." Maes laughed.

Roy mumbled something particularly rude as he flipped the covers over his head.

Maes laughed louder. "If the old adage is right and bastards and cream really do rise to the top, I'll be calling you General Mustang before I know it."

Roy's comeback found a new level of rudeness.

Chapter Four

"How could this happen here?" Rozamond Mock shrilled, slamming her hands down on her mahogany desk. "What are your soldiers doing about it, Elemer?"

Roy glanced at General Householder and decided that he'd rather be out in the field with Maes and Riza who were inspecting Rennsalaer's shot-up riding stable. It would be better than being trapped in Mrs. Mock's office with the headmistress and four of the town's most esteemed members, including Thorne senior and his son. Keddrick stared at him as if Roy were the one to pull the trigger on the stable.

"We don't even know if it was the Drachmaians, Rozamond. What would they have to gain by shooting up a barn?" Elemer Householder replied, trying to put Mock and the concerned fathers at ease.

"Well, how should we know, Householder? That's your arena," Thorne grumbled, absently twisting a thick-banded ruby ring around his finger.

"Your stables are rather close to the forest's edge, Rozamond. It could be a hunter got a little overenthusiastic and blasted the barn by mistake," Householder replied, standing more stiffly and sounding more formal than Roy had ever heard him.

"That's the best you can do?" Fabel rubbed a hand over his huge belly where it strained the limits of his suit jacket's strength.

"No, sir, the best we can do is to double our patrols in the area and two of our men are at the stables conducting an investigation," Roy said, his temper getting the better of his judgment. Householder just raised an eyebrow at him as if shocked Roy had taken the initiative.

"Who is this boy, General?" Gardyner glared at Roy for his intrusion. No one had to tell the young man he was deemed unworthy of even being in the same room.

"He's Major Roy Mustang and he's in charge of the investigation," Householder said and Roy decided that probably wasn't to his favor. It was a convenient way for Householder to avoid the blame if things didn't go well.

"My son knows the little scrag, some vintner's boy. You couldn't find someone educated to head up the investigation?" Thorne said, looking at Mustang as if he had stepped in manure before coming inside.

"Elemer? This boy?" Mock sounded hesitant, as if unsure why her school was being treated so lightly as to put a teen in charge of the investigation.

Householder had laid a subtle hand on Roy's arm and he was grateful for it. It was the reminder he needed that he couldn't speak his mind to Thorne. "Mr. Thorne, I assure you, Major Mustang isn't some uneducated child. He's a State Alchemist, very intelligent, and he was trained right here in Portsmouth. He was Hawkeye's apprentice. You don't get to be an alchemist if you don't have a good head on your shoulders. It's exacting mental work." Householder took a step toward the window, looking out as if examining what might be going on at the stable. "He's one of the two officers I asked to fill your request for the ball, Rozamond."

Her washed-out blue eyes swept over Roy. Her level of approval for him seemed to be on the rise. "A State Alchemist? I'm sure we'd all feel safer with one of them around."

Roy tried not to be offended at her sudden change of tune, at least it was in his favor.

"Speak for yourself, Rozamond," Fabel said, wrinkling his nose at Roy. "I don't trust the freaks, never have."

"Thank you for saying so, Mrs. Mock." Roy spared the man a tight look but said nothing to him. "I'd like to speak to the groom who was in the stable when the shooting happened, if I may. He might be able to shed a little light on whoever did this."

"That would be Geoff Eld. I sent the lad to his room since he was so shaken up. The grooms board with the cooks and maids across campus. Do you know where that is?" Mock asked, settling down at her desk.

"I'm sure he's well acquainted with the servants quarters, Rozamond," Gardyner said, managing to package enough snobbery for ten people into those words.

"I can find my way," Roy said through gritted teeth. He couldn't afford to sacrifice good sense for sake of pride.

"I think that about concludes our business here," Householder said, turning towards the door in Mock's austere office.. "Mustang and his men can handle the questioning."

"That's it?" Gardyner asked. "Shouldn't you at least look at the stable yourself, General?" He didn't seem very eager to trust Roy's judgment.

Householder looked at Roy, his big moustache twitching. "I suppose that wouldn't be out of order."

"I'd welcome your input, General," Roy said expansively. When he was awarded his State Alchemy paperwork and named 'Flame,' Roy had been told by the bored colonel who did the indoctrination that there would be many times in his career as an officer that he'd have to know whose butt to kiss and when to kiss it. Right now, in front of these snobs, when it would hurt his pride the most, seemed to be exactly the right time. The look on Householder's face said Roy wasn't wrong about that.

"Rozamond, if you and your patrons want to come with us just for a quick look-see, please do," Householder said, and none of them looked thrilled by the idea. Roy also knew that they couldn't afford to say no, now that they had put up such a fuss about his credentials.

The soldiers waited for the wealthy patrons and the headmistress to suit up for the cold and they all started trudging towards the stables.

Keddrick finally broke his silence on the way. "I don't see how alchemy will help in this situation."

Householder paused and Roy followed suit. The general glanced at the young man then over in the clearing away from both stables and school. A heavy fire ring of stone sat stuffed with trash and broken branches from the last snow fall. "Is that for burning, Mrs. Mock?" He pointed to the fire ring.

She nodded. "Today's burning day but they haven't gotten to it yet, what with all the disruption from the shooting."

"Perhaps a demonstration is in order, Mustang," Householder said, waving at the ring.

"Of course, General." Roy took a step away from them and slipped on his static glove. With a snap of his fingers and a quick transmutation, a bonfire started in the pit, crackling loudly.

"Major Mustang is also known as the Flame Alchemist," Householder said proudly. "Mustang is quite a potent weapon."

"Oh my!" Mock pressed her fingers to her lips. "That is...well, I hope that nothing like that will be needed at the ball. I don't want to save the girls only to lose the school."

"I'm quite careful with my abilities, ma'am," Roy assured her, sparing a harsh, 'don't mess with me,' look for Keddrick. The other young man had gone very pale from the demonstration of power.

"I should hope so. That isn't a power that should be put into the hands of a boy," Fabel grumbled, seemingly impressed in spite of himself.

"No one put the power in my hands, sir. I earned the skills through my own efforts. Alchemic powers aren't just given. I know all too well the risks inherent in what I can do," Roy said evenly. He didn't want to overplay his hand. "Hawkeye gave me a deep respect for the power I wield."

No one seemed particularly convinced of that. Roy just tried to put it out of mind as he trudged through the snow to the stable. Both Hughes and Hawkeye were outside, taking measurements of the bullet holes and the angle at which they might have gone into the wood at. They straightened up and saluted as Mustang and Householder approached. Roy looked at Keddrick out of the corner of his eye. His rich rival didn't seem happy to see Riza in the military blues.

"Anything to report?" Roy asked, trying to sound officious and in control. His friends looked annoyed at him.

"Not yet. We found some footprints in the snow but there's not much they can tell us. There's a trail just beyond those trees," Hughes said, gesturing. "There are many different sets of footprints."

"We did find something odd here," Hawkeye said, beckoning Roy closer to the stable. A shotgun blast patterned the wood near the window. "That's the grooms' area." She pointed to the chairs snugged into the excess hay and tack that hung on the walls. "Where they'd sit to take a rest. It could be the shooter was aiming at someone in the window."

"They wouldn't be a very good shot if that's the case," Roy said, examining the blast pattern. "There was a groom inside at the time of the shooting. Hughes, can you finish here alone? I'd like to take Hawkeye with me to question the groom. She might know the boy, which would help."

"I have things in hand," Hughes replied, looking slightly unhappy about getting left behind in the cold.

"Good. Then, if there's nothing else, General Householder, Mrs. Mock, I'd like to go talk to Geoff Eld before he forgets something that might be important for us to know," Roy said.

"No, you go do what you need to, Major," Householder said, looking pleased with Roy's conduct. "I'll tie things up here."

"Thank you, sir. Come on, Hawkeye, you're with me," Roy said, his eyes on Keddrick, the challenge evident.

"Of course, sir." Riza walked past Keddrick with a challenge of her own, Roy noticed. He also noticed Keddrick didn't seem deterred. Roy didn't have time to dwell on it, however. He did have a job to do.

"Sir, I have to ask," Riza started once they were well away from the stables, cutting across campus to the forgotten corner where the servants lived, "can I expect all these showings of pride and the gnashing of teeth over me all the time or do you think you'll get it under control so only a few people will see it every time Keddrick baits you?"

Roy felt the color going to his cheeks. "I don't know what you mean. I did need you along for this. Those patrons know you. Keddrick made sure to tell them all I'm some vintner's son. Gardyner more or less asked me if I could read. Wait until he finds out I'm escorting his daughter to the dance."

"Oh, it is going to be such a fun night." Riza pinched the bridge of her nose. "Try not to let the insults to your pride get the better of you, Roy. Keddrick knows he can make you do stupid things and he'll be sure to manipulate you into doing them."

"I know," Roy said bitterly. "I'm trying not to. I thought I did pretty good with those men."

"That bonfire had nothing to do with you showing off?" The look she gave him seemed overly harsh to Roy.

"Householder ordered me to. Keddrick called into question my usefulness. The General thought a demonstration of power was in order," Roy said defensively.

Riza just shook her head. "Do you honestly think Geoff knows anything about this or was that just a show for Keddrick?"

"No, it wasn't. You pointed out that someone might have been taking a shot at whoever was in the window. That would be Geoff. I don't think Drachmaian insurgents would take the time to pepper a riding stable. What would be the point? If it wasn't someone poaching on school grounds, then I have to consider a groom might be a target for whatever reason."

"Well, Geoff always gave me the impression he was trying to look down the girls' shirts whenever he'd help us mount up." Riza wrinkled her nose. "Then acted offended when we were offended that he'd try, as if it were some compliment."

"Guys rarely think that girls don't want us to see them naked. We just assume you do," Roy said, wincing at his honesty.

"I've figured that out. At least you mostly never ogled me when you lived with us," Riza said, something in her tone sounding disappointed.

"Your father knew the secrets of flame alchemy. I thought it wise not to arouse his temper and me having anything to do with you seemed to do it," he admitted, thinking he would have liked to have seen her naked even without the tattoo.

Riza crossed her arms over her chest, giving him a sad look. There was a frisson of shame in her eyes. "I know."

Roy was afraid she thought he didn't find her attractive so he tried to explain himself. "I know why now, of course, but I've wondered ever since did he think you'd never-"

"I don't want to talk about this, sir!" Her tone was so strident, so upset that Roy gave her a wide eyed look and dropped the subject.

They both sank into an uneasy silence until they arrived at Geoff's tiny room in the rambling servants' quarters. The teenager peered at them with wide, nervous eyes. "Can I help you? Have you gotten lost?" he asked.

"No, we came looking for you, Geoff," Riza said, drawing the groom's attention.

He blinked at her. "Miss Hawkeye? I didn't recognize you, ma'am, in that uniform. Why would the military be looking for me?"

"You were there when the stable was shot up," Roy said, pressing into the room. "We'd like to talk to you about it."

"Of course, but I don't know anything." Geoff looked around his room as if expecting chairs to suddenly manifest themselves for his visitors. "I can't really offer you a place to sit."

"It's all right. This shouldn't take long. Why don't you sit?" Roy said in a tone not to be argued with, expertly manipulating the young man into a position of submission. "Tell us about this morning."

"There's not much to tell. I was in the stable and I heard the blast hitting the wall," Geoff said raising his hands and letting them fall.

"That's it?" Roy gave him a look of disbelief.

"Where were you in the stable Geoff?" Riza took the notepad out of her jacket pocket and made a production of writing something.

"Giving the horses some oats and corn," Geoff replied, eyeing the pad nervously.

"You weren't taking a break, maybe?" Roy pressed. "Sitting in front of the window, maybe?"

A fine beading of sweat broke out over the boy's face. "Well...maybe I was done feeding the horses by then. I guess I could have been sitting down."

"There weren't any Drachmaians roaming the woods were there?" Roy smirked, moving into Geoff's personal space. "You know who shot the barn."

Geoff shook his head, worming away from Roy.

"What happened, Geoff? Are you afraid Mrs. Mock will be angry if she finds out the truth?" Riza asked, her tone gentle.

Geoff crumbled. "She'll sack me."

"Let's hear it," Roy demanded, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Aneta Vance's father did it. He caught me with Aneta last night and promised to make me regret it," Geoff whispered, not looking at the soldiers. "Are you going to tell Mrs. Mock?"

"I don't see as we'll have a choice, Geoff," Riza said. "If you get lucky, she might not blame you for what a girl's irate father does."

Geoff's face said he wasn't holding out much hope.

"I'd stay out of sight if I were you," Roy cautioned wisely. "I'll speak to the General and see how he wants to handle Mr. Vance."

"Thank you, sir," Geoff replied glumly.

"Hawkeye." Roy gestured to the door. They walked silently in the cold for a few moments.

"I suppose you weren't too wrong to worry about what my father might have done if he caught you looking at me," Riza said morosely, once they were crossing the campus once more. "Apparently fathers can't be expected to keep their wits about them where their daughters are concerned."

"Some can't," Roy said in a tone that suggested experience. "Riza, I'm sorry about before."

"I was about to say that to you. I shouldn't have snapped at you." She seemed pale and somehow diminished. Roy hated seeing her like that.

"No, it's all right. I didn't mean it like it sounded. I don't think there's anything wrong with you. It's just...I don't know why he made you part of the great work, not like that." Roy wet his lips. "But I understand why you don't want to talk about it. Why don't we just report back to the general and Mrs. Mock and maybe get the constables out to Mr. Vance's home before he actually figures out how to aim his shotgun."

"That sounds like a reasonable course of action, sir," she replied, but her eyes were far away, looking backwards in time, Roy didn't doubt, probably wondering if there was something different she could have done in regards to her father.

X X X

"Damn it." Roy slammed his hand against the barely warm radiator.

"I swear Roy, if you whine about it being cold, I'll start at the beginning with Damariss' latest letter to me," Maes threatened, turning down his covers.

Roy glared. He already heard more about Maes' newest girl than he cared to. "I wonder what I could do to get a room with a fireplace?"

Maes stretched out on his bed. "I wouldn't argue with that. At least then you'd be useful."

"Die." Roy yanked the covers down and huddled up under them. "I think there's a hole in this wall or something."

Maes snorted. "Again I say, if you didn't weigh only forty kilograms, you wouldn't get so cold."

"I weigh more than forty kilo," Roy grated out. He rolled onto his side and looked across the room to his friend. "Do you think I'm acting too proud where Thorne is concerned?"

Maes smirked. "You? Proud? Perish the thought."

A hurt expression filtered across Roy's face. "I'm being serious, Maes. Riza accused me of it."

"I wonder why. Could it be that you're the most prideful man I've ever met?" Maes laughed.

"I am not!" Roy wore a truly shocked expression, as if it never crossed his mind he was too proud.

"Roy, you are arrogant. Not that you don't have good reason to be. What you can do, that talent of yours, you walk around here with the power of a god and you know it," Maes said, sobering. "You aren't normally too obnoxious with your pride, not like Thorne is. He likes putting it in everyone's face that he's better than we are but you do have your moments. Lately, whenever Thorne is around is a moment."

Roy tucked his covers up to his chin, contemplating that. "I'm that bad?"

"Not most days but sometimes, yes. Being male doesn't help. We tend to turn into peacocks whenever a peahen struts by," Maes replied with amused practicality.

Roy seized on that face-saving suggestion. "True."

"So, why do you care what Riza thinks of you? I thought it wasn't like that!" Maes crowed.

"It's not!" Roy blushed. "She said I was giving the wrong impression to the town fathers and I was worried, that's all."

"You could set your bed clothes on fire with that blush. Go peddle your crap elsewhere. I'm not buying." Maes set his glasses on the night stand. "Again I remind you that she's off limits, Major."

"Shut up, Lieutenant." Roy made a face. "Well, at least all the military will do is reprimand me. Her father would have set me on fire."

"I suppose that would be a deterrent, yes." Maes rolled up on one elbow. "Roy, be careful around Thorne. I don't like the feelings I'm getting from that guy. He's dangerous."

"I know. I only remember him a little. I didn't have much to do with the Rennsa...whatever crowd or in his case the Mesick crowd," Roy said. "But what I do remember I don't like. There were reasons Teacher wouldn't do business with the Thornes. They get what they want at any cost."

"And what he wants seems to be Hawkeye," Maes said, his eyes hard and flat.

"Hawkeye can take care of herself without any help from me. I think that might just piss her off," Roy said, wondering how to best handle the situation with her and Thorne. "Not that that would stop me if he tried something."

"Or even if he didn't. You and Thorne are definitely fire and gasoline and the last thing the Flame Alchemist needs is more fuel," Maes said wryly.

"Yeah, well, he'd do well to keep his fuel away from Riza. Thorne does that and there'll be no problems," Roy huffed, picturing Thorne with Riza and hating it.

"Because it's not like that at all, Maes. You're imagining things." Maes laughed.

Roy mumbled something particularly rude as he flipped the covers over his head.

Maes laughed louder. "If the old adage is right and bastards and cream really do rise to the top, I'll be calling you General Mustang before I know it."

Roy's comeback found a new level of rudeness.


	5. The Winter Ball

Chapter Five

"Do you know the question I've been asking myself all day?" Riza sighed as she started to put on her make up, sitting in front of Avaron's dressing mirror.

"Why did I shave my legs for this?" Avaron asked wryly, making sure the seams of her silk stockings were straight.

Riza barely got the eyeliner pencil away before she made a huge mistake as she laughed. "Don't do that to me!"

"Dear, you need a laugh. You've looked positively glum for days now." Avaron picked up the silver backed hairbrush and started taming the curls they had twisted into Riza's short hair.

"Keddrick will not leave me alone." Riza watched as Avaron transformed her. "He has made every excuse he can to catch me when I'm off duty. I'm surprised that I haven't found him roaming around in the forest while I'm out there looking for Drachmaian rebels. What could he possibly want from me?"

Avaron looked down Riza's dÉcolletage and the blonde blushed. "I think you know the answer to that. And he knows he can manipulate your uncle into helping him get it."

"But I don't understand why. We have no money any more. I'm in the military. I'm totally unsuitable as a wife. Why doesn't he pursue Igrayne? I mean once she's a little older. Your family has money and Igrayne can't wait to be someone's wife."

"Because the Laganas have the same problem the Thornes have. We're new money. Hawkeyes are old money. He wants your name," Avaron said, setting the brush aside.

"He can have it. Let him marry my uncle." Riza grinned. "I want nothing to do with it."

"No, you want something to do with one of those two delicious boys you brought to my place." Avaron favored her with one of her sly foxy looks. "Are you still waiting for that mooncalf of a boy to notice you? Just grab him by the bullocks, Riza, if you want him."

"Oh, there's a picture." Riza snorted and applied her blush. "It's not that easy, Avaron."

"How difficult could it be? You've been carrying a torch for him since he first showed up looking like a drowned cat on your dad's doorstep one rainy spring." Avaron glanced out her huge windows, reassuring herself it wasn't snowing. "How long does it take to make your move?"

"Roy's my commanding officer now, Avaron. I'm not permitted to make a move and neither is he, as if he even notices me," Riza said mournfully. She wished the path to Roy's side was clear but she firmly believed she had made the right choice in joining the military.

"I swear you joined the military just to keep him safely out of your reach. Here's a solution, quit," Avaron said decisively as she gave Riza's hair a good spritzing with spray to cement it in place.

"He needs me right where I am. Roy's head is either in his books or in the clouds but it's rarely in the here and now where he needs it to be. No, he needs me to look after him," Riza argued. It sounded better in her head. It was what she told herself often.

Avaron wasn't buying it, trading places with Riza in front of the mirror. "He has any number of soldiers who could do that. You look beautiful tonight. Tell him."

"I can't."

"Is this the same girl who dragged me away from our ever so important tatting classes because she learned that a certain young alchemy student would beat the heat of the day by skinny dipping in the pond at the edge of her daddy's land?" Avaron's green eyes glinted wickedly.

Riza blushed. "I'd almost forgotten that."

"Like hell. We ended up in detention for cutting so much, not that I minded. It was a nice view." Avaron handed Riza a comb of diamonds in a floral spray. Riza helped pin up Avaron's thick red hair.

"It was." Riza sighed at the memory.

"Does Roy know about that? Maybe I should tell him." Avaron yelped as Riza dug the comb into her scalp.

"Don't you dare! The only thing I need you to do is to keep me safe from Keddrick and help me keep Roy away from him before Roy forgets that the whole reason he's at this ball is to foster better relations between the military and the rich folk of this town."

"That'll last only as long until Malca Gardyner realizes how much she can piss off her father by sleeping with a commoner," Avaron said in warning.

"And Gardyner dented Roy's pride so much he'd be thrilled at a change to get back at him." Riza's shoulder's slumped. "This is going to be disastrous."

"You have to save the poor boy from Malca, that's all there is to it. Teen aged boys know they only have one purpose. I mean, do they ever say no to sex? Don't take your eye off him or he doesn't stand a chance." Avaron wagged a finger at her friend as she twisted on the dressing bench to grab her boots.

"That is pretty much my job description," Riza said wryly.

"And tell me more about that yummy tidbit in the glasses." Avaron purred, sliding on her black kid heeled boots. The geometric cut-outs were all framed in steel beads that gave it a bronze effect. Ten amethyst pearl buttons ran up the sides. They were exquisite boots. Roy would like them, Riza thought suddenly.

"Maes is a nice guy...bit of a womanizer if you listen to rumor," Riza said in a tone that said she didn't.

"God, I hope so." Avaron ran her hands down her thighs, smoothing her scandalous dress. Riza wished she could be as free as her friend. Avaron wore a dress of purplish-grey silk georgette that was see-thru, and the neckline plunged all the way to her belt, revealing the gossamer ivory silk net under dress. The only parts of the outfit the eye couldn't roam right through was the grape silk cuffs, the geometric patterns running over the georgette, and the skirt that took over for the georgette at low thigh. Avaron liked making a scene wherever she went.

"Behave, Avaron. Leave the man some reputation," Riza scolded.

Avaron straightened the floral lace of her revers collar. "But of course."

"You'll like him," Riza said, knowing if Avaron had already decided on Maes, there would be no changing her mind. "Maes is very funny, witty and smart. You'll have to pry Petronela off his arm."

"Ugh, poor man. Let's have a look at you then, Riza." Avaron pulled Riza over to her floor length mirror. "I'm betting Major Mustang won't know what hit him when he sees you."

Riza smiled at her reflection. Avaron was right. She had never looked more beautiful. If Roy didn't notice her tonight, he never would. Her golden hair had been meticulously curled as much as its length would allow. Her gown's bodice swept as low as she dared off the shoulder and not reveal her tattoo. The whole gown was nothing but black silk lace in a variety of floral patterns over an under gown of cream silk chiffon. The magnificent gown Avaron had purchased for her had pastel chenille flowers along the neck, each outlined in silver beads with gold bead centers. Black tulip-shaped beads, gold daises, oblong paillettes danced in and about all the silver and black sequins that played over the dress making it deceptively heavy. Avaron fussed with the train so Riza could see the full effect.

This was the life she was meant to have and sometimes, when locked away at Rennsalaer, she had hated only having shadows of it. Mostly now, Riza had moved beyond it but tonight, she just wanted to be a delicate girl. She wanted to be noticed and cared for. Riza slipped into her cream satin heels with their floral sprays of cut glass and silver beads. Tonight was going to be tricky, trying to get Roy's attention without anyone noticing she had it and avoiding Keddrick's notice without alerting anyone to that fact. Riza decided whatever happened, happened. She was going to do her best to enjoy it.

"I couldn't ask for a prettier date." Avaron hugged her. "Now, we have men to steal. Let me get your mom's jewelry. And if you let that boy see you naked tonight, I want to hear all about it in the morning!" Avaron went to get the jewelry Riza had given into her care before her father was even in the ground. They were family heirlooms and she couldn't risk Uncle Bob finding them.

"Avaron!" Riza cried, her face redder than her friend's hair.

"What?"

"I'll have you know, he's already seen me naked," Riza said as Avaron helped her into her chandelier necklace of twenty-three sapphires dangling from their platinum setting with the matching chandelier earrings.

"I thought you hadn't gotten that far with him," Avaron looked disappointed to not have been taken into Riza's confidences.

"I haven't. I had to show him the tattoo." Riza pouted. Avaron was one of the few who knew about the tattoo. Riza had to fake fear of water to get out of the swimming classes so none of the other girls would see.

"And he didn't ravish you then and there?" Avaron's tone suggested she didn't know how that was possible.

"No. It didn't even occur to him that we were alone in my room with me half naked. All he said was 'my array!' and that was that." Riza tried to keep the bitterness out of her tone as she slipped on her great grandmother's sapphire ring, an ostentatious sixteen carats of deep royal blue flanked by a diamond on either side. Two rows of smaller diamonds ran along the platinum band. She didn't know why she couldn't part with it when her father needed the money. It just seemed wrong.

"No offense, Riza, knowing what your father was, but alchemists are freaks." Avaron put on her necklace, making a face at Roy's lack of appreciation for her friend. "You should have kicked him in the ass and told him he couldn't look again until he showed proper respect."

"Not everyone is strong as you, Avaron," Riza said unhappily.

"It's easy to be like me when you have all the money in the world and nothing is really a threat to you, Riza. You're the strong one, making your own way. What wouldn't I give to be that free?" Avaron sighed. "Well, maybe the ball will be worth a news article or two. Don't be so glum. It'll work out, you'll see. I think he's perfect for you. Handsome, presumably intelligent on occasion, and powerful...and, I hear that State Alchemists earn their keep quite lavishly."

Riza smiled. "Keddrick only thinks Roy's poor. Trust me, he's not. If people really knew what State Alchemists are paid...sometimes it's almost obscene."

"The only thing obscene about money is not enough of it gets shared around." Avaron shook Riza's shoulders lightly. "We're ready. It's time to go to the prison...I mean academy."

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be," Riza sighed. Somehow, she just didn't think tonight was going to go as planned.

X X X

"Maybe you two should go easy on the punch," Maes hissed in Roy's ear then went back to scanning around for his date.

"I'm nursing it," Roy whispered back. "I can't say the same for my date." Roy cast a glance over at Malca.

She looked beautiful with her raven hair arranged in soft curls and her lush chest pressing against the ivory lace exposed by the plunged neckline of her stunningly red silk dress. Roy had barely registered the simplicity of the gown before getting caught in the region outlined by the embroidered edges of scarlet silk and the wide sash around her narrow waist. The one thing marring Malca's beauty were the gin blossoms opening over her cheeks. The dance hadn't even technically started and she was on her third glass of punch, a potent mix of black tea, orange and lemon juices, red wine, rye whiskey, rum, brandy and herbal cognac.

"I'm not sure if I should envy you or be grateful I drew the short straw," Maes said, ladeling up some punch.

Roy nodded over Maes' shoulder to where Maes' date was trying to get her dress extracted from the chair she was tangled in, the long train of her lilac silk gown hopelessly enmeshed in the wicker. The shapeless mound of pleated lilac flew in the face of fashion something Maes had pointed out repeatedly. The last thing the horrid gown needed was a rent in it.

"She's a menace," Maes whined then went to help Petronela before she hurt herself or others. She did manage to trod on his toes on the way over to where Malca was guarding the punch bowl.

"Is it any good, Malca?" Petronela asked, nearly dragging her frothy lace cuffs in the bowl as she didn't wait for Maes to ladle her up some punch.

"Can Artillery punch be anything but?" Malca replied, running her hand over Roy's chest. "I live on campus. Want to go back to my room? Daddy would just hate it. I heard what he said to you." She purred.

"Um, it's a little early, isn't it?" Roy said, trying to wiggle free. The Rennsalaer ballroom, a vast wood and marble structure with no detail neglected, seemed suddenly too small as he imagined everyone could see him being groped. "The music hasn't even started."

"You can make your own music, a creaky spring symphony," Petronela snorted, fussing with the two limp silk bows that perched over either breast in an ill-fated attempt to add sexiness to a gown that had a neckline that went all the way to the chin.

Maes hauled Roy away from Malca and said lowly, "Do it and Householder will give you to the Drachmaians. _That_ is not what he meant when he told us to bring the military closer to the townspeople."

"I know," Roy said unconvincingly, yanking free of his friend.

"Think the music will start soon?" Petronela said, laying her head on Maes' shoulder, her almost-white hair spilling over him.

"I hope so. I'm bored." Malca snuggled into Roy's back, being taller than him in her heels. "I know how we can relieve the boredom." Her lips brushed his neck.

"I'm technically on duty," Roy said, not able to get free of her without creating a scene. "Maybe you could find one of the local gentlemen who'd be better suited for you, like Mr. Thorne?"

Malca laughed. "Please. Keddrick's no bigger than my thumb, so disappointing. I'm sure you can outperform that." She reached down and squeezed his crotch. Roy yelped and Maes nearly drowned himself in his punch glass.

"Oh, look who finally showed up," Petronela sniffed, nodding toward the ballroom door where Avaron and Riza stood at the head of the long staircase designed to show off the girls as they entered the ballroom. Both women seemed to be staring right at the foursome and looking exceedingly unhappy about what they saw.

Roy just stared up at them, unable to move, partly in horror, partly because his body liked what Malca was doing. The only thing he managed to accomplish was to gape like a landed fish. Maes leaned in, bumping Malca away. "You're dead where you stand, you know that right?" he whispered.

"This is not my fault," Roy grumbled, managing to snake free of Malca. "Malca, I need to talk to Cadet Hawkeye, dreadfully dull, military stuff. It won't take too long. Why don't you...I don't know, work the room a little. I'll meet back up with you."

"I need to be in on this conversation, too, Petronela," Maes said in a rush, not even waiting for Roy to get moving.

Roy nearly tripped over a chair, his eyes utterly glued to Riza. How could he have never seen how beautiful she was? She might not have the classic beauty of Malca but she shone with such a warm, honest inner beauty that he couldn't help but be drawn to her like a moth to flame. Of course, he had no idea what to say to her after what she had just seen. His brain had completely frozen over except for the desire to run his hands over the black lace she wore and to press his lips to the cool, tattooed flesh of her back; wonderful thoughts but not very helpful.

"Just a thought," Maes murmured, nudging Roy. "You might want to wipe the drool from the corner of your mouth and I'd go with the 'you're stuffing to impress your way-too-rich date' excuse if I were you."

"Shut up!" Roy growled, wondering just how much like a circus freak he looked like at this point.

"And here I thought it wasn't like that between you two." Maes grinned triumphantly.

"I think I can burn you and have everyone believe you had an accident with a cigarette and that punch," Roy glared.

"Good evening, ladies," Maes said, ignoring the thousandth threat on his life. "You both look stunning."

"Thank you, Lieutenant. Don't you boys look handsome?" Avaron said, brushing a hand over Maes' cheek. Her eyes gleamed as they pinned Roy. "I see Malca truly appreciates your company."

"I'm sorry you had to see that. She's been trying to get me to go to her room," Roy said gloomily, his face feeling hot.

"A few more rounds at the punch bowl and I'm sure she'll have no trouble handling you," Riza said cuttingly, her bare shoulders tensing.

Roy's gaze dropped. "Not likely." He tipped his chin up. "You two look...amazing and it's not right somehow that Maes and I won't get to spend any time with you."

"Oh, I'm sure you'll find some way to pass the time, sir," Riza said, looking unwilling to forgive him.

"I doubt it." Roy sighed, knowing he had a lot of work to do to get back in Riza's good graces. "So far the only thing of interest has been the revelation that Keddrick's posturing is to overcome his, uh, masculine inadequacies."

"So was that what she was doing? A comparison test?" Riza raised an eyebrow.

"In Roy's defense, yes she was," Maes put in, looking far too amused for Roy's tastes. "At least some part of him seems not to be little."

"Shut up and that's an order!" Roy stabbed a finger into Maes' chest, his hand shaking with rage. His face was nearly the shade of Malca's dress.

"Oh, we already knew that, Maes. Riza and I wasted many a summer day, cutting class to watch him skinny dip in the pond on the Hawkeye estate." Avaron beamed, patting Roy's flaming cheek. His mouth sagged and Riza made a strangled meeping noise.

"Avaron! You promised!" Riza bustled past her in a swell of black silk lace. Avaron laughed and chased after her friend.

"Did you notice you could see through Avaron's dress?" Maes' eyes flicked down. "Yeah, I'm sure you did."

"They used to _spy_ on me?" Roy gasped, ignoring the insinuation. "They knew I was swimming naked but they never _joined_ me!"

"Maybe I'm wrong about that small thing." Maes smirked. Roy's look promised fire. He pulled his array glove out of his pocket and slowly and deliberately donned it. Maes' eyes widened behind his lenses. "I think I need to rescue someone from my date. I'll talk to you later." Maes took off like a shot.

Roy huffed. Riza had spied on him? Naked? How could he not have known? Teacher must not have had any clue or giving Roy time to himself would have been curtailed. Why had Riza done it? Had she brought more girls other than Avaron to see him swimming? Why hadn't she at least given him a clue she was interested? _Don't be stupid. She couldn't, not with that tattoo on her back. If her dad found out..._ Avaron and Riza. Roy took a moment to indulge in a little fantasy.

"I see your friends couldn't desert you fast enough," Keddrick hissed in Roy's ear.

Roy turned crisply on his heel to give Keddrick the full heat of his glare. Why did Thorne have to look so perfect and splendid in his suit. He made Roy fell dull and boring. "That wasn't desertion. That was the wisdom of working the room, all part of our assignment here. Speaking of which, I should rejoin my date."

"You mean before she falls over." Keddrick's date, Walchiria Fabel, nodded toward the punch bowl.

_Why don't they just give Malca a straw?_ Roy steeled his jaw. "I wouldn't put it that way."

"I can't believe Mr. Gardyner is allowing you to escort his daughter." Keddrick's eyes coursed over Roy's uniform then flicked away dismissively.

"I don't suppose it's really any of your business," Roy replied, trying to meet Keddrick's gaze unwavering while hoping to spot an out before he fell into the trap of pride both Maes and Riza had warned him of. He could feel himself teetering on the edge. "It was, after all, Mr. Gardyner and Mr. Nedved who arranged for the military escort."

"Maybe he expected you to keep tighter hold on her leash," Walchiria said dryly, cocking her head at him. Walchiria was a study in average; average height and weight, medium brown hair, brown eyes; absolutely nothing was outstanding about her except for her range of bitchiness and her gown, a stunning rose patterned ivory silk damask affair that draped off her asymmetrically, managing to say a lot with simplicity.

"The tools to do that have been taken out of my hands," Roy muttered, thinking Riza had been exactly right; this was going to be a miserable evening. He flinched, feeling hands on his back. He looked over his shoulder into Malca's face. "Ah, we were just talking about you, Malca."

"Given your present company, probably nothing but lies," she said, coming around to his side; her look for the others absolutely venomous.

"You're right, vintner's boy, you don't have control over anything," Keddrick said smugly, turning his head. "And that includes your lovely cadet. Walchiria, why don't you go circulate? I've something to do."

The three of them stood there helplessly as he moved off, heading for Riza. Roy knew if he followed Keddrick now, Riza would take it all the wrong way. He would have to trust her to handle herself. Walchiria stomped off, heading for the thickest crowd of Rennsalaer girls.

"Snotty bitch," Malca said under her breath. "I wish I could show her up."

"I could help," Roy said. "Or should I say, make a suggestion. Her biggest sense of amusement was that you've been in the punch. If you went the rest of the night without that haze, I think you could easily get the better of her."

Malca smiled at him. "Really?"

"Yes, really. I'm sure you're quite a capable young lady, every bit as rich as Miss Fabel and certainly prettier," Roy said, knowing he was walking a thorny path in encouraging Malca.

Her sloe eyes regarded him intently, a strange expression coming over her face. "No one's ever said that to me before. Not the stuff about being beautiful and rich, I hear that all the time. No one's ever said they thought I could do anything."

Roy swallowed hard, wondering what hidden pain he had just tapped into. "Well...this could be time to prove them wrong."

"You're not just another pretty face yourself, are you?" She smiled, dragging him towards Avaron, Riza, and Keddrick. "You're more than a match for him."

Roy smirked. "Thanks."

Keddrick's look of pure hate made interrupting with Malca on his arm almost worth it. Avaron seemed amused and Riza, well Roy didn't know what to make of her expression but he didn't think it was good. "Is there something you wanted, Squint?"

Roy's lips skinned back. Even Malca seemed offended. Riza's dark eyes were filled with warning for him to hold his temper. He could see Avaron about to open her mouth and say something that would only add fuel to it. "Actually, I just needed to speak to my cadet, if her escort doesn't mind."

"Not at all. Maybe we should find a place to sit down until the music starts," Avaron said amiably.

"I can go get us a table," Malca offered with determination in her eyes.

"Oh good, we'll need places for Lieutenant Hughes and Miss Nedved, as well," Roy said, liking that the ladies were rallying around him.

"Of course," Malca said then set off seeming happy to have something to do.

Roy turned to Keddrick. "I think your date is trying to get your attention, Keddy, so if you'll excuse us." Roy gestured to where Walchiria stood, glaring holes in them.

He smoothed back his blond hair. "It's Mr. Thorne to you, Slant."

"Fine, then remember it's Major Mustang and if you call me Squint or Slant one more time, I'll assume you have something against the Amestrian military and I'll have you held for investigation," Roy said very calmly.

"You couldn't." Keddrick's face lost color.

"You forget why I'm here," Roy returned and Keddrick whipped around stiffly and left shooting a 'we're not done here,' over his shoulder. "Yeah, I'm sure." Roy looked at Riza, "I know, I failed."

Her features were pinched. "Rather miserably, sir."

"Hey, he didn't set anyone on fire so I say he's doing well. Though, I'm curious, why is Malca running around, all happy to do what you ask." Avaron slipped an arm around Roy.

"Because I said I believed she could prove Walchiria wrong about her and apparently no one has ever seen anything of worth in Malca and now...she seems over the moon that I do."

"Lovely, Roy, way to cock the gun," Riza grumbled, giving him a look.

"Well, at least it's given her something to do other than to try and drag me to her bedroom," Roy replied, lowly.

"Who can blame the girl?" Avaron groped Roy's backside. "Been wanting to do that ever since those summer afternoons. Well, I'm off to go rescue Maes from Petronela." Avaron gave him another pat, nearly sending him against Riza as he tried to avoid Avaron's hand. She sailed off looking for Hughes.

Riza pushed him back. "You can't go five minutes without getting into trouble."

"It's not like I'm inviting this, Riza," Roy sulked. "I can't believe you used to spy on me."

"I can't believe she told you!" Riza touched her fingers to her burning cheeks.

Roy saw the sparkle of her enormous sapphire ring and caught her hand, deciding a topic change was desperately needed. "This is so beautiful. I didn't see this in the stuff Maes liberated."

"Avaron's been keeping these for me." Riza pulled out of his grasp, her fingers trailing over her necklace.

Roy's gloved fingers followed hers as he leaned in closer. "Beautiful," he said. "How did I not..."

Riza pushed him back forcibly. "Remember why you're here, sir." Her sharp tone shattered the mood.

Roy pulled away, his lips twisting. "Yes, I suppose I ought to find Malca. Is the music never going to start? I just want this night over with." Roy stormed away. He snagged another glass of punch spitefully before tracking down Malca. He sat scowling as his table which filled up with party goers. Malca seemed to have found her calling in gathering in stray lambs from the flock. Maes just raised an eyebrow as he took in Roy's expression when he and Petronela sat down. Riza eventually kicked Roy's ankle in warning. Roy ignored it, dead set on being upset, even if he knew it was childish. He let the dour expression ease up a little when Mrs. Mock took center stage to welcome all the girls and their dates and to thank the military for providing a little extra protection in the form of the esteemed guests.

Once she was done, the music started. After a few turns on the dance floor with Malca, Roy started feeling better. He even allowed a smile or two as Petronela nearly maimed Maes a few times. She was simply an awful dancer. The smiles faded when Keddrick left Walchiria and pulled Riza out on the wooden floor. He pulled Malca closer, feeling her soft breasts brushing against him. "How many fancy moves do you know?"

"Enough to put him to shame." Malca smiled and let Roy put her through some flashy moves. Several dancers stopped and ringed around them to give them their own little stage. Roy was thankful for the piece of advice his father had given him - 'girls, like to dance, son, so you're going to learn.' Roy was vaguely aware of hot eyes on him as he stole the stage away from Thorne and he was very aware that this was fun; he just had the wrong partner.

The music changed to something slow and sweeping in the waltz category. Maes whirled past him with Avaron in his arms. Walchiria cut in on Keddrick and Riza so roughly she nearly knocked Riza down. Malca wiggled in Roy's arms.

"It's been nice but I really do need that drink now. You're a very sweet guy to try so hard all night." Malca kissed him. "Now go dance with the girl you really want to be here with."

Stunned, Roy watched her head back to the punch bowl then rushed over before Riza could clear the dance floor. He caught her arm. "May I have this dance?"

She looked ready to say no even though he knew she really didn't want to. His hand was sweating and he wished he hadn't taken his gloves back off so he wouldn't snag the silk dresses. "All right."

Roy swept her out onto the dance floor. Something felt very right about holding her close. Why did it take someone threatening to take her away to make him want her more than he knew how to say? Maes had been right. It was that way between him and Riza as far as he was concerned and he had been lying to himself for some time. The way she tucked into him, her cheek resting on his shoulder, her breath curling over the skin of his neck. She smelled sweet and delicate, like violets, and she was so incredibly warm. The silk lace of her dress felt so erotic under the skin of his hands that he had to fight his body. He leaned down, wanting to kiss her so badly he could taste her soft skin already.

"Roy...we can't..."

"Shhh." He tipped up her chin. Yes, he was being stupid in public. Householder might find out and he didn't even care if it meant their careers.

Just before their lips could touch, the sounds of weapons cocking cracked over the music. Riza's head slammed into Roy's nose as they both jumped. Through the resulting stars, Roy saw several armed men had entered the room, weapons trained on the girls. The Drachmaian rebels had made their move.

"Let's not have a panic," one of them said. "All we really want is your jewels and your purses and wallets. It's expensive funding a war." He grinned humorlessly.

"So no heroes and we all live to see another day!" another put in, his gun seeming impossibly huge. The young Rennsalaer girls started shrieking at the sight of it.

Roy and Riza exchanged looks. No one had anticipated trouble like this.


	6. Hostage

Author's Notes - This chapter has been expurgated to fit the FFN guidelines. If you want to read it in its original form (provided you're old enough) head to livejournal and look in the royaifiction community. You can also look at the whole story there complete with hyperlinks to all the clothing and jewelry that I couldn't do here.

Chapter Six

"Your gloves are in your pocket, right?" Riza whispered, her lips so close they nearly brushed his ear. He nodded, trying to ignore the sounds of panic from all the teens at the dance. "My gun is in my purse."

_Of course it is. _Roy scanned the crowd for Maes and saw his friend looking back, his eyes hard. There were four men by Roy's count, provided there was no one outside. And lucky for him, he and Maes were standing around in peacock blue uniforms. They might as well wear signs that said 'shoot us first.' "Don't do anything yet," he hissed.

"They won't give up their money and especially not their jewels." Riza's eyes went to her beautiful ring. "They don't know how to take orders."

Roy wished she was wrong about her former classmates but knew she wasn't. "I know."

As if on cue, Keddrick took a step away from his date and Roy was shocked when his mind flashed to, _shoot him now before he causes you guys to shoot us all. _"Who are you? How dare you point guns at us?"

"You're not really in a position to demand answers, now are you?" one of the insurgents said, training his gun on them.

"We Thornes own half this town. We will not tolerate or capitulate to people like you." Keddrick tossed his head like a proud stallion, as if in denial as to the danger he was facing.

"Shut up, Thorne!" Roy glared at him and then turned to the Drachmaian on point, figuring him to be the leader. "This man doesn't speak for the group."

"I didn't really think he did." The man smirked. "But he's given me a brilliant idea. All the sparklies here aside, the real money is in nice rich hostages. I can imagine what your parents would pay to get all of you back."

Roy spared a withering glance for Keddrick. He took a step forward, trying to get a little control of the situation. "That takes time and the military has an obvious interest in this academy." He made a sweeping gesture at his uniform. "You'd be better off just taking the money and running because if I don't check in on time, they'll dispatch the troops," Roy lied. Everyone would live if they lost their jewelry - no matter how much it hurt - but if these people barricaded themselves in with them all as hostages it was all going to get ugly.

"Why are you even talking to these people? You can't deal with them," Keddrick said, getting into Roy's face

"If you talk one more time, I'll take you down myself, Thorne, before you get someone killed," Roy snarled. Keddrick flinched, looking moments from wetting himself.

"Listen to the soldier, boy. I'm already half tempted to shoot you just to silence your gnatty voice," the leader said, gesturing with his gun.

"Hampson, the soldier has a point. Hostages are too risky," one of the other Drachmaians said and Hampson, the leader, shot him a hot look.

"Then let's start. Ladies, you first. Go get your purses. Gentlemen stand perfectly still and no one gets hurt, except for you two blue coats. Front and center with you." Hampson indicated the spot with his rifle barrel.

Maes looked over to Roy who nodded. Let the Drachmaians think they were in control. They had no idea, Roy didn't think, that he was an alchemist. They had no way of knowing Maes had knives concealed in his belt or that they had just given Riza the go ahead to get into her purse and hence her gun. Roy just needed to keep them all alive a little longer. He and Maes went to the indicated spot without a word.

Hampson's rifle steadied, pointing at Maes. Roy could see the fine bead of sweat on his friend's face. "So, you have to report in. That means this one doesn't. The last thing I need is military men running around freely."

"You can't kill him either. We both report. We serve different masters," Roy said very quickly as Maes' fingers edged towards his blades.

"Uh-uh, don't move," Hampson warned then his brow knit as he considered this bit of news. "Let's make sure you two aren't armed. Let's have those jackets off, very slowly or else."

Maes and Roy obeyed, turning around, even turning out their pants pockets. Out of the corner of his eye, Roy saw Riza had purse in hand. "Satisfied?" he asked Hampson.

"How can you not have any weapons?" Keddrick asked from where he had been herded next to the tables. Walchiria tossed her arms around him.

"For now, I'm satisfied," Hampson said. "Though I'm disappointed you really aren't armed and are unable to drop him, as threatened." Hampson's eye canted towards Keddrick.

Roy saw Riza pushing forward towards one of the Drachmaians, doing a good job of looking too scared not to comply. Avaron was behind her, the wine bottle from the table in her hand, as if she might want to use it as a weapon. The other man was trying to get Walchiria's purse away from her as she clung to Keddrick, who was frozen in place. The third Drachmaian, the one who had protested the hostage idea, looked to his boss as if to decide should he stay and keep his gun on the soldiers or help the other two so they could make it all go faster. Roy edged Maes around a little, his eyes flicking towards Walchiria and Keddrick. Maes put his hands in the small of his back. Roy gave Riza a long slow blink hoping she read that as consent to start. They had to do this fast and almost as one. Roy turned his attention back to Hampson and his right hand man.

"I can't. They're family heirlooms!" Riza cried.

"Too bad." The Drachmaian jerked her purse away, leaving Riza with her gun exposed.

Without hesitation, she gut shot him and turned to shoot the one wrestling with Walchiria but he was already on his knees howling with Maes' knives between his shoulder blades. Roy snapped his fingers and struggled with a very controlled burn. He didn't want to kill these men. Householder and Investigations would certainly want to question them. Roy watched the gun stocks catch fire and the air was filled with the acrid stench of burning hair and clothing. For the most part, the men underneath would be only burnt slightly if he did it right.

Seeing Maes and Riza collecting the other weapons and trussing up the injured men with their own belts, Roy allowed himself a little posturing time. "You see, Hampson. I'm the Flame Alchemist. I don't need weapons. I am one. That was just a warning. Give us any more trouble and I'll cook the meat off your bones. Mrs. Mock, sorry for the scorch marks. Could you please call the base for us and tell them we need assistance. Cadet Hawkeye, could you go with her. I think Lieutenant Hughes and I have this in hand," Roy said. Seeing all Hampson could do was moan in excruciating pain, he crossed over to where Maes and Riza were shoving the table clothes against the men's wounds. The one man lay at Keddrick and Walchiria's feet. Walchiria was clinging to Avaron now. Keddrick had a spray of the man's blood across his dead white face.

"I'll make sure the base knows what's going on, sir," Riza said, wiping her bloody hands on the man's shirt. "I'll take the gun just in case they had anyone on the outside standing guard that we don't know about yet."

Roy nodded. "Of course."

"What did you do to them?" Keddrick breathed, his face pasty. "You set them on fire! You...you're a monstrous freak."

"I think he means thank you," Avaron said archly.

"You're welcome." Roy leaned in close, his eyes flicking down to the dark stain on Keddrick's pants front. "At least I didn't piss myself. Maes, I could use a hand tying up the other two."

Maes gave him a sloppy salute and headed for the burnt men. Avaron patted Keddrick's back. "Nice puddle," she said then went for the tie backs on the huge ballroom curtains so Maes and Roy would have something to use on the insurgents.

It took a few hours before everything was finished up at the Academy. Householder was beaming like a proud parent at his three young officers by the time it was over. Many family members had arrived to take their daughters home, even ones that usually stayed on campus, which was most of them.

"Your father not coming for you, Avaron?" Maes asked.

"He's out of town with Mom. Igrayne and I have to go home alone," Avaron said, pouting at him.

"That won't do," Householder interrupted as he came over to put his hands on Hughes and Mustang's shoulders. "The weather is turning bad. Lieutenant Hughes, why don't you see the Laganas home."

"Of course, sir." Maes' topaz eyes glittered eagerly.

"And Cadet Hawkeye, your uncle called and wants you home," Householder said.

"Sir?" Riza couldn't hide her distress.

"Do humor the man, Hawkeye," Householder said gently.

Riza seemed to wilt. "Yes, sir."

"Major Mustang, make sure she gets there safely," Householder said. "We'll be here for hours more, settling everything. Why don't you three go now? You've had a stressful night. Have more punch. It'll settle the nerves." Householder pounded on the boys' backs then headed back to supervise the troops in the clean up. He paused, went and filled two punch glasses and handed one to Mustang and the other to Hughes before thumping off.

"That's right, get you drunker and then let you drive me home in the snow," Riza said as Roy drained it greedily, hoping his hands didn't belie how nervous he was after he had time to think about what happened.

"Maybe we should just run for it before he changes his mind," Maes suggested.

"Roy!" Malca cried before Roy could answer. She broke away from her father and flung her arms around Roy's shoulders. "You were magnificent." She kissed him. "You can be my escort any time," she got in before her father dragged her away.

Riza just arched an eyebrow at him and Roy had the good grace to blush.

"Take your hero home, Riza. And remember, rewarding him carnally is expected for heroes." Avaron's eyes gleamed as she patted Maes' backside before hauling him off.

"Does everyone forget I'm the one who shot first?" Riza scowled then jabbed a finger at Roy. "And not one word about awarding me carnally!"

"I have no idea what to say to that...let me go get your jacket so we can go home," Roy said, frazzled.

He did that and they were silent for a few minutes as he hunched over the wheel of the vehicle as it skittered on the icy streets. Cars were still fairly new and he was new to driving. This wasn't his idea of fun.

"Were you frightened?" Riza asked in a very quiet tone.

"Scared to death but we did well...really well. The three of us, we're a good team," Roy said, yanking on the wheel.

"We are." She nodded. "I'm sorry you got stuck with taking me home. I'm sure Malca would have been glad to follow Avaron's line of thought."

"You mean if her father didn't shoot me the moment I tried to come through the door," Roy said, a wry expression on his face. "And I wouldn't say stuck. I'm happy to take you home." The car skidded again as the snow really began to fall. "Though I'm wondering if we'll even get there."

"It's just a little further."

Roy managed to get the military vehicle to the drive before miring it half way up. He came around to her side of the car and held out his arms. She gave him a curious look. "I don't want you to ruin your shoes. Besides, it'll be so cold on you since you have nothing between your legs and the cold but silk stockings."

"Roy, you don't have to..." Riza didn't look convinced he was capable of carrying her.

Roy scooped her out of the car, hip bumping the door shut. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he struggled through the thick snow with her. Twice she thought they'd go down in the drifts. Riza tucked her face against his neck, feeling the snow collecting on her eyelashes. She took what warmth she could from him. Roy set her on her feet at the doorway then knocked loudly.

Bob opened the door quickly, as if prepared for their arrival. "I'm so glad you're safe," Bob said, tossing his arms around Riza much to her chagrin. "Thank you for keeping her safe."

"Actually Riza took the first shot. You should be thanking her," Roy replied, shutting the front door against the weather.

Bob's eyes widened a bit. "I'm impressed. Let's go into the den. You're frozen, dear."

"I'm tired. I should go to bed," Riza said, too exhausted to deal with her uncle.

"Once you're warm." Bob pulled her toward the den. His footfalls were slightly uneven, telltale of how much he had to drink.

Roy just followed to give her support. He didn't know what else to do. He was stuck here unless he wanted to walk back to base and he really didn't. "Mr. Hawkeye, sir, I think I'm trapped here. I got the car stuck in a drift."

"And this storm is not going to stop any time soon," Bob said, poring out three glasses of whiskey. "Here." He gave them the whiskeys. Roy sipped his while Riza set hers aside, moving towards the fire place, holding her hands out.

"Son, I can't expect you to walk to the base in this blizzard. Your old room is vacant. The bedding might be a little musty, yours, too, Riza, but I think we can find cleaner sheets at least. Will the base let you stay here or do you have to report back?" Bob asked, a little slurred in speech but he seemed to be relatively clear of thought.

Roy nodded, relieved not to have to go back out in the blizzard. The ramshackle Hawkeye manor felt oddly comfortable despite the chill in the place and the presence of Bob, himself. Teacher had never been the warm and cuddly kind but this had been home for Roy for some time. "I'll call and let them know Hawkeye and I are stuck here so they don't think the Drachmaians have us or we went a.w.o.l. together"

"Do that. It'll be good to have company." Bob's eyes clouded. "This old place is so lonely sometimes."

"The whiskey makes him maudlin," Riza whispered, brushing against Roy.

Roy gave her a knowing look then made his call to the base, while tippling at his whiskey. He hoped it wouldn't make him as soppy as Hawkeye. There were things he wanted to say to Riza and a little liquid courage would be welcome. "Okay, sir, they'll send someone to dig us out tomorrow," Roy said. "It's been a long hard night."

"And you both want to head up to sleep," Bob said morosely. "Go on up. I'll see you both in the morning. I'll stay down here for a while."

"Thanks, Uncle Bob. I'll make us a nice breakfast," Riza said, placatingly. Roy noticed she was slow going up the stairs, unsure if that was because she was utterly exhausted or because Bob did follow them up. Roy hoped it was the latter because he wanted to talk to her.

Bob rapped on a hallway door. "I moved the bedding to here. I'm sure you can handle things from here. I have things I need to do yet tonight so if you'll excuse me." His gaze swept back towards the stairs.

"Of course. Thanks, uncle. We'll be fine," Riza said, opening the linen closet. She handed some sheets to Roy.

Roy returned to his old room, which proved to be unchanged since he had left it. The only thing missing were his personal touches. He stripped the bed, snapping the bed spread a few times to shake the dust from it. After remaking the bed, he started a fire in the fireplace, hoping the chill would be soon chased from the room. He figured by now Bob would be ensconced in front of the den's fire, whiskey in hand so it should be safe to visit Riza. Besides, she would be wanting a fire in her room as well. Roy knocked on her door softly.

When Riza opened it she had a dull grey, very heavy robe wrapped around her. Roy could see hints of lace peeking out from where the robe was sloppily wrapped. She must be wearing the frothy nightie he had found in the drawer. His mouth went dry at the very thought. "Uh...I wanted to see if you needed help with the fire," he stammered, his face pinking up.

Riza stepped back to allow him in. "I was about to come find you. I can't get it started."

Roy smiled and looked at the pile of wood behind the fire dogs. He snapped at it and the flames danced on the logs. "There you go."

"Maes is right. You have your uses." She smiled wickedly.

Roy pouted. "I'm not a match, you know."

Riza moved to the fireplace, opening her robe a little to let the heat in. "It's fun to watch you sulk about it. Maes is right about that, too."

"When do you two find so much time to talk about me?" Roy also moved closer to the flames. It was cold in the closed-up room.

"It's easy. Half the time your head is in the clouds. We could be talking about you and you wouldn't even notice." Riza looked over her shoulder at him, seeing the depths of his pout. "But when we need you, you come through just fine. You really did do a good job tonight."

The pout melted into happy lines. "Thanks. You did, too. Riza...can we talk for a moment?"

Her brown eyes swept over him, something oddly timid hiding in them. "About what?"

"Tonight. I think I did something that made you mad but I'm not sure what," he said gently, wondering at the wisdom of starting with that topic. "I didn't mean to do that."

Riza sighed and went over to her bedroom door, locking it. She sat on the window seat, pressing back against the heavy, drawn curtains. "It's not your fault, Roy. I was being...stupid. I know you were assigned to escort Malca. It wasn't your idea but you seemed to be enjoying it."

"I really wasn't." Roy leaned against the mantle, thinking about that. "Would you have been happier if I were miserable?"

"Of course not." Her cheeks colored.

"I don't know why it matters," he said, thinking maybe he did. Only he wasn't sure if her being jealous was a good or bad thing.

Her brown topaz eyes lit with inner fire. "You can be so stupid sometimes, Roy."

"About what?" he asked foolishly, his temper getting the better of him.

"Oh, never mind. It's just not worth it." She pulled her robe tighter around her, her eyes going watery.

"Yes, Riza, it is," he replied softly, reaching for her but she pulled away. "And you were the one ignoring me tonight."

She made an inelegant noise. "Tonight? Did tonight have anything to do with something beyond pricking at Keddrick?"

"You think that was what tonight was about?" He couldn't keep the hurt out his tone.

"What else should I think?" Riza leapt to her feet, the color in her cheeks born of fury this time. Her robe gaped, showing distracting glimpses of lace and silk. "You've never paid any attention to me, Roy. You're just like father, absorbed in your damn alchemy like men possessed. The few times you even noticed I was in the house, it was more like I was an annoyance that you wished would buzz off back to the academy." Her body shook hard as she tried to rein in her emotions. "Tonight, you only managed to drag your eyes away from Malca's cleavage long enough to get Keddrick in your sights."

"I'm sorry you feel that way." Roy peeled his gloves off and pocketed them nervously. "I can't deny getting lost in my research but tonight, if it looked like I was doing nothing more than trying to irritate Keddrick, well, I'm sorry. I wasn't. I knew you didn't want him bothering you and I was trying...I didn't want him around you. I didn't know how to get rid of him without looking like I didn't trust you to handle yourself."

"So your sudden burst of concern had something to do with anything other than Keddrick insulting you?" she asked, the sneer in her voice unlike anything he'd ever heard in her tone before.

"Apparently you don't believe so," he said, his eyes hardening. This was no how he imagined this talk was going to go. He had no idea she resented him this much.

"How can I, Roy? The one and only time you've ever noticed me was when I gave you father's secret." Tears cut rivulets down her face. She wrapped her arms around herself as if she were trying to hold back the torrent of quakes that shook her. "The only time I ever showed my body to a man and the only thing that hardened him was the damn tattoo," she snarled, turning away from him.

Roy felt the fire in his face, acutely ashamed of himself. How could he have made her feel so small? He had thought she had missed that indiscretion of his and instead she had let it erode her faith in herself. He twisted, rested his forehead against the marble mantel as he stared into the crackling fire. He couldn't feel the warmth, the chill of her words frosting him from the inside. "I'm so sorry, Riza. I never meant...I didn't mean to diminish you." He heard her stifle a sob behind him. "I had no idea..." Roy turned around to face her. "Your father never wanted me paying attention to you. I didn't know why. At the time, I assumed he thought I wasn't good enough for you, and I needed him. I didn't want him angry with me and Teacher could be...frightening."

Riza hiccupped up a nigh hysterical laugh as she sank on to her bed. "He was."

Roy went over to the bed, leaning down. He stroked her cheek. "I am sorry, Riza. I never meant for you to feel like a one night stand that got used and tossed aside."

She cradled her face on the soft thick sleeve of her ugly robe, letting the make up smear there. She scrubbed the back of her other hand over her eyes. "I shouldn't have expected you to read my mind about how I felt either. I could have told you but with the specter of Father hanging over us and then our ranks..."

"That is an inconvenience," Roy admitted, sitting on the bed next to her.

Her eyes widened in surprise. "You thought about it?"

"When Maes isn't conspiring with you to tease me about being a glorified lighter, he spends his time teasing me about my feelings for you." Roy managed a weak smile. She looked at him questioningly. Roy ran a hand over her curled hair. "I guess you weren't the only one expecting a mind reader. If it looked like I was suddenly taking notice of you tonight, it's because you looked so beautiful that I was completely moonstruck. I've never seen you look like a princess from a fairy tale before. Those horrid Rennsa uniforms..."

"Is that what you want, Roy? A girl who knows how to dress and all that sort of thing? Rennsalaer certainly prepared me for that," she interrupted bitterly.

"No, I'm far more impressed by the girl who isn't so afraid of four armed gunmen that she couldn't shoot her way out." Roy smiled and Riza echoed it. "I don't want some dreadfully dull wife, Riza, never have. I want...well, everything that makes up my partner, all the facets. If it's not been clear." He hesitated, knowing it hadn't been. How could it be? It hadn't even been clear to him. "What I want is you."

He took a chance, leaning in close, and brushed his lips over hers in just a whisper of a kiss. He traced the bow of her lips with his tongue. Riza put her arms around him, pressing into him. Her mouth opened and he slipped his tongue into her warmth. Her strong fingers buried themselves in his hair as he kissed her harder. His mouth nearly felt bruised from the force of which she kissed him back, all but devouring him. She tasted of lipstick and tears.

Roy came up for air. "Riza...maybe this is too fast."

"We've been friends for years." She unbuttoned his uniform jacket. "How many chances will we have to be alone? I know what I want. Do you have doubts?"

He wondered if she were that naive. Most teenaged boys in this position weren't likely to suddenly say no but he realized almost belatedly that she meant it on a deeper level than 'do you want to have sex?' "None," he said, easing away from her gently. She gave him a puzzled look. Roy slipped his jacket off then dug out something from the inside pocket.

"You carry chalk?" Her tone went incredulous.

"I do know more alchemy than fire." Roy got up and drew an array on the wall next to the marble topped wash stand. "Anyone comes to the door, I go through this wall."

She smiled, slipping the ugly robe off. The frilly nightie looked better on her than he imagined. "If Uncle Bob comes up here, I'll protect you."

"You may need to." He grinned, coming back to the bed. "Because I want to wake up here with you."

Her lips trembled at that. He moved in to kiss them and her body melted against his. Roy contented himself with learning the contours of her mouth before finally moving off to unexplored territory. He nuzzled into the silk and lace, peeling the silk ribbons down the front open. Riza moaned softly as his lips and tongue teased her. She arched into him.

He moved his greedy mouth between them as Riza worked her hands under his collar and along the rim of his shoulders. He didn't want to tell her he'd never been with a virgin before, usually allowing himself to be seduced by more knowledgeable, older girls. There were things he was vaguely aware of about that state but hadn't ever worried about it. Now he did. He didn't want to hurt Riza.

She had switched her attack to trying to get his shirt unbuttoned. Roy sat back, giving her better access to him. Riza all but tore him out of it. Her hot lips pressed against his belly and he worked his fingers into her stiff curls, massaging her scalp as her lips worked on his flesh. She pulled away.

"You have to get your boots off," she murmured.

Roy wrinkled his nose, wondering how ridiculous he looked, lust clouded, and those stupid military boots all stained and damp with melted snow. He flopped back on the bed and struggled with the laces. Riza leaned over and helped him.

Her eyes met his. He'd never seen her look like this, the veil of carnality drawn across her delicate features. He moaned into her mouth as she kissed him.

Roy slipped out of her grasp, his hands going to her nightgown. He eased it off of her, letting it flutter to the floor. He just looked at her strong, muscled body and the expanse of breast he hadn't realized she was hiding behind all her various uniforms. Her coloring reminded him of strawberries and cream and he wanted to lap up every last bit. He got off the bed and let his trousers slide off. His pocket watch made a dull thud as it hit ground swathed in wool.

He crawled back on the bed with her, bearing her backwards against the sheets. "You're so beautiful," he whispered, curling his tongue around her ear, sucking in the lobe. Her sapphires clacked on his teeth. Roy stretched out along side her, slowly trailing his fingers up her thigh, feeling her tense a little. "You're sure?"

"Yes," she said but he could see the hint of fear mixing in with the lust.

X X X

Afterwards, Roy let himself lie in a tangle with her for a while before rolling onto the mattress, panting. He brushed a sweat-slicked curl off her face. "Riza, I'm sor-"

She pressed a finger to his lips. "It wasn't as bad as you think. I knew what it would be sort of like." She skimmed a hand over his trembling arm. "It was good."

"I'm glad." Roy pulled her closer, snuggling for a while. After a while, his gaze drifted up and a little frown kissed his lips.

"You're looking at that horrid headboard, aren't you?" she said, her lips moving against his shoulder.

"I can't help it." Roy's eyes fixed on the squirrel raiding the bird's nest.

"I used to have nightmares about squirrels coming to eat me. Don't look at it. You'll have bad dreams," Riza squirmed on the bed, rolling a bit.

"Rather look at you." Roy turned her more so he could kiss her shoulder blade. His tongue flicked out and traced along the tattoo.

Riza giggled, wriggling under him. "Roy, that tickles."

"So I see," he murmured against her flesh before continuing his pattern trace.

"You and that tattoo. Did it..." She looked over her shoulder at him. "Make you happy, Roy?"

"It unlocked the doors that needed unlocking," he replied, toying with her hair. "_You_ made me happy, not a collection of ink."

Her face turned tender with love and relief. "Thank you. You are staying here, aren't you?" She took his hand. "I don't think Uncle Bob will be sober enough to realize you're not in your room."

"I'll stay."

"We could..." She smiled at him.

"And smarter this time," he said sheepishly.

"Smarter...oh." Riza's eyes flicked down to their waists then back up horrified. "What did we do?"

"Got a little too caught up. It's not like I don't have one in my billfold." Roy scowled at his own stupidity.

Riza's brow stitched up. "You were on duty. Why would you have one with you to escort Malca?"

"It's always in there, just in case. Of course, it's dependent on me being smart enough to remember it." Roy pulled her closer. "Next time," he murmured sleepily, draping himself around her. Riza just muttered something affirmative against his skin as they both drifted off to dream.


	7. Kiss and Tell

Chapter Seven

Roy felt a little grungy in his dress uniform even though he had washed up the best he could. Bob was nowhere to be seen. Neither was Riza who had gone to wash the sheets. Warmed by thoughts of her, Roy put in a call to the base to see when a rescue would be mounted. He heard a clacking noise as he hung up the phone. He turned and made a little face. Riza was dressed in one of her academy uniforms.

"You know how to make a girl feel good, Mustang," she said crossly, giving him a withering glance. "I was not about to make breakfast in my ball gown."

"Sorry," he said sheepishly. "That is just one ugly uniform."

Riza tapped her toe, her look of death deepening. "Was that the base?" She nodded at the phone.

"They'll be around to plow us out in an hour or so." He sounded disappointed at the prospect of a rescue.

"Good, then get into the kitchen and start the oven. Make yourself useful." She swatted him lightly

"You found me useful last night." He pouted.

"And right now I'm finding you annoying," she replied, apparently still irritated at his mistake of not finding her attractive in her Rennsalaer uniform.

His pout deepened. She nodded towards the kitchen. "Yes, ma'am." Roy slogged into the kitchen and put some coal into the old oven. He started the fire. "Anything else?"

Riza looked over her shoulder. "Just this." She slipped her arms around his neck, kissing him hard. "Now, what do you want to eat for breakfast?"

"You," he said breathlessly, his hands smoothing over her back.

Riza's chest hitched. "As fun as that sounds...I think I hear Uncle Bob moving upstairs and he'll expect something to eat with his morning whiskey."

"Damn." Roy tugged on his tightening uniform trousers. "Eggs and bacon would be good. Probably should see what we have to work with."

Riza opened the ice chest. "No bacon that I see. There's sour cream and some preserved lingonberries. See if there's flour in the canister, Roy. I can make pancakes."

Roy nosed into the canisters then brought her the one containing flour. Riza took out the sour cream, milk and eggs and started turning them into thin crepe-like pancakes. Roy dusted some lingonberries with sugar and put butter on the table to soften.

"Uncle Bob will want some meat. I thought I saw sausages in the ice box. You could fry those," Riza said and Roy just gave her a pained look. "What? Oh, will you grow up."

"Easy for you to say," Roy fetched the sausages. He let them dangle from his fingers.

"All right, so maybe it wasn't my best suggestion or your best comparison," she said, with a wicked smile.

Roy's jaw dropped. "Riza! Okay, I'm sorry about the uniform thing."

"As well you should be." She smiled at him.

Roy just snorted and slapped the sausages into a frying pan.

"I have the cooking under control, Roy. Father used to have an array to dry clothing. Can you do that?"

He nodded. "Just transmute the water to vapor."

"Well, the sheets are upstairs drying in front of the fire. Please hurry them along," she suggested.

"Okay."

Roy went upstairs to take care of the bedding. He even remade the bed then headed back downstairs to help Riza. They had the breakfast just about on the table when a bleary-eyed Bob poked his head into the kitchen.

"Smells good. You kids are up early," he said, looking a little hung over.

"After last night, we'll have to get back to base as soon as we can. They're sending someone to help dig us out," Roy said. "So, we figured we ought to have a good breakfast before heading out into the snow."

"Did you have a good night's rest?" Bob's gaze slid between Roy and Riza in such a way they couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. Riza transferred pancakes with grim determination.

Roy nodded, tugging at his jacket collar. "Good enough. Using alchemy like that leaves me tired," he lied, hoping Bob wouldn't know any better.

Bob nodded, reaching for a plump sausage, slicing it up sloppily. "Alchemy never did my brother's health much good from what I could see. You ought to be careful young man."

Roy decided keeping on Bob's good side was his best bet. "I am, sir."

Most of the breakfast passed in silence except for the clacking of silver ware and a dull sound from outside that they all presumed was the plow. Roy helped Riza clear the table. "That was good, Riza. Thanks for breakfast."

"You're welcome. I could use some help with the dishes if you don't mind." Riza saw his lip beginning to curl. "You can dry them."

That seemed to mollify him some. Together they made short work of the dishes while Bob retired immediately to his den. They went to find him when someone knocked on the front door.

"That's probably the soldiers coming to tell us the car is free," Roy said, going for the door. He opened it to Keddrick. Both men stared at each other for a moment, shocked. "What are you doing here?"

"I was about to ask you that," Keddrick sniffed, his snobbiness back in place after his humiliation of the night before.

"I spent the night." Roy shot him a salacious smile, ignoring the unhappy sound Riza made behind him. "So, what do you want?"

"I have business to attend with Mr. Hawkeye that has nothing to do with you, Slant." Keddrick glared at him.

"Careful there, or I'll make you wet yourself again." Roy smirked and Keddrick's face went a mottled red.

"Roy! Just let him in," Riza said, glaring at him. "Uncle Bob, Keddrick Thorne's here," she added loudly.

"Come to think of it, it was Riza and her gun that actually did the deed to you last night. That's even funnier." Roy's look went positively devilish.

"You foul mouthed little..." Keddrick grabbed for Roy.

Riza got between them, shoving them both apart. "This is not a school playground. Can you two possibly act your age?"

"Is there a problem here?" Bob asked, coming into the foyer. His brown eyes were hot with annoyance

"No, Uncle. Roy was just explaining how he got stuck here because of the _snow_ and had to spend the night in his old room," Riza said, glaring at her lover for implying anything else. "I think the plow almost has us free."

"Snow?" Keddrick asked, confused, and she wanted to hit him, too, just for assuming Roy had spent the night in her room.

"You know, the white stuff on the ground. The car got mired. How did you get here?" Roy asked, wishing his good morning hadn't been ruined.

"Horseback, which means I can't stay long. That old stable won't keep Splash of Class warm for long," Keddrick said. "But there is some business I didn't think could wait, sir." Keddrick addressed that to Bob.

"Of course, come on into the den," Bob said, beckoning him to follow.

"Sir, before Cadet Hawkeye and I head out, I did want to ask if you've come up with a price for your brother's alchemic possessions in that attic room," Roy said, determined to interfere with Keddrick.

"Yes," Bob said and quoted a high price. Keddrick's eyes gleamed maliciously at it.

Roy stroked his chin as if thinking it over. "May I use your phone?"

"Of course."

Roy placed a call to the bank and gave them his details, authorizing the transfer of money into Hawkeye's account and promising to come by to sign any necessary paperwork. He kept his eyes glued to Hawkeye and Keddrick. Bob was looking at him with a mix of disbelief and avarice. Keddrik's looks could be distilled and bottled for pure disdain. Roy read a novel of offenses in Keddrick's faces for him 'pretending' he could work within Keddrick's monetary level. "There you go, sir. I'll come by with a truck to get the stuff as soon as I can. They need to talk to you about your account information to complete the transaction." Roy held out the phone to a startled Bob.

"This has to be a joke," Keddrick sniffed, with a dismissive wave of his hand, as if he believed this to be a play staged for his benefit.

"Oh, it's no joke. Major Mustang has a very big bank account and he loves showing it off," Riza said ruefully, giving one last glare of doom knowing they were having no effect. Her uncle's look of disbelief had melted into pure greed as he hurried gave the bank what they needed. Keddrick still looked like he didn't buy into it. Riza sighed. "I need to go get my coat so we can go, sir."

"I'll run up and get it. Would you like to take your dress, too? Is it in the armoire?" Roy asked, feigning ignorance as to where her clothes were.

"Yes, thank you," she said moving closer to him. "See if you can do it without getting your tail feathers caught in the railing, you peacock."

He scowled at her but ran up anyhow. To her relief, a pride-wounded Keddrick went into the den with her uncle, leaving her alone. Roy came back with her coat and her gown draped over his arm. He leaned close and whispered, "Your jewelry is in my pocket. I'm sure you didn't want to just leave it here."

He helped her into her coat and held the front door for her. The frigid wind whipped inside and they both reluctantly stepped out into it.

"Thank you. And before we get outside where the soldiers can see." Riza slapped him on the back of the head. "That's for not controlling your pride. I can't believe you! Why don't you just announce to the world what we did." She slapped him again.

"Ow." Roy rubbed the back of his head.

"Okay, that felt good. Now if only I could slap you every time you get out of control, however, I'm not sure my hand could handle that." Riza gave him a dark look.

"I can't believe you did that," Roy whined, looking like a puppy who had been swatted for taking a leak on the rug.

"I should enlist Hughes' help in keeping you in line." Riza sighed, looking deflated. "It would help if one of us held equal rank."

He rolled his eyes. "Speaking of Hughes, I wonder if he got stuck at Avaron's."

"Trust me, not a snowflake to be seen and he still would have gotten stuck at Avaron's," Riza said wryly.

"I know he was rather hoping for that," Roy snorted, putting a steadying hand on Riza's arm "Damn, this snow is deep. Be careful."

"Hoping for?" Riza groaned. "You boys are pigs sometimes, you know that, right?"

Roy's answer was a squall as he went down on the ice. "I hate this place!"

"Maes is right. You need to get stationed back in your temperate hometown. Too hot or too cold, all you do is whine." She thrust a hand out and hauled him up. "You didn't lose my jewelry, did you?"

He felt in his pocket, finding the jewelry safe in the pocket. "No, but my pocket watch just went places it didn't need to go."

"Poor Major." She shoved him toward the passenger side of the car. He gave her a surprised look. "Junior officers are supposed to drive, you know."

Roy gave a shrug and got in the passenger seat. "Wonder what business Thorne had with your uncle that just couldn't wait?"

"I don't know, but why does the mere idea make me nervous?" She started the car.

"Because you're a wise woman."

X X X

"I thought you were never going to get off duty," Avaron said, serving Riza some tea laced with whiskey.

"I was barely on duty." Riza laughed. "Householder gave us commendations and told us to take the day off."

"Well, if you spent your evening wisely, you probably could use a little rest." Avaron beamed, tossing her legs up on the couch unceremoniously after kicking the ottoman over to Riza's chair. Why should men be the only ones allowed to put up their feet?

"Are you fishing for details?" Riza grinned, hoping for the chance to brag.

Avaron's green eyes gleamed eagerly."Right down to the color and kind of underpants. Maes' were blue boxers."

"I can not believe you just slept with someone you barely even know," Riza gave her friend the gimlet eye.

"Why not? He was fun and you didn't answer my question." Avaron pouted at her.

"I don't know...I know he had some but I don't remember what they looked like. That part went rather fast," Riza admitted, sipping her tea.

"Hell, I sure hope the rest of it didn't go fast." Avaron shot her a sympathetic look.

"No, no, that was not fast at all. That was very nice." A dreamy expression floated like summer clouds over Riza's face as she shifted on her chair. "He can be very sweet...when he's not being an arrogant ass."

"You just summed up most men, dear. So why are you here with me and not back there wearing that luscious exotic creature down to a nub?" Avaron purred.

"Because, we're back on base and we're forbidden to fraternize and since we both have roommates it makes it a little difficult...that's why last night was so important," Riza replied sadly. "I can't exactly get off base whenever I want to, let alone tell Uncle Bob that Roy needs his old room back and oh, by the way, so do I. He might be a drunk but he's not stupid."

"My parents are gone and Igrayne prefers to stay at the Academy. Take the few hours you can get off base and bring that boy here. Make sure he brings his friend," Avaron suggested, a lubricious gleam in her bright eyes.

"What are you suggesting _now?_" Riza's eyes widened.

"Not that! My word, you've really turned into a sex-addled soldier haven't you?" Avaron laughed. "Good for you."

"You really mean it? We could spend a little time here?" Riza didn't dare hope too much. She knew the moment she joined the military to protect Roy that if she ever wanted to spend time with him it would be on the sly, that they'd have to steal every moment together.

"I'm serious. My parents won't be back for a couple of weeks. Take advantage," Avaron encouraged. "Of course, you'll have to tell me a few little details, like just how pretty is it when it's all woken up."

Riza's lips pulled into a tight line. "I think you just say these things to be shocking."

"Speaking of shocking, last night's doings were that and more. I think I'll be able to sell an article about the hostage situation to Central papers. I'll even spell your name right...though I should probably leave out the part about Mr. Pissypants." Avaron drained her mug.

"Yes, if you plan on living in this town." Riza sighed, trying not to laugh at Keddrick's misfortune. "Well, I guess it did help relations here in town, us saving the day."

"You were magnificent," Avaron assured her. "And who knows, if these articles sell, maybe I can get a position on the paper in Central. One day I might be writing about your exploits again."

"Maybe you will at that." Riza sounded happy for her friend and if she were stationed in Central whenever Avaron got there, they'd both have so much fun.

"So," Avaron leaned in conspiratorially. "Want a few tips on things you can do with your mouth next time?"

Riza nearly drowned in whiskey-laced tea.

X X X

"You know, you're not nearly as pretty to go to bed with as Avaron," Maes said, looking across the room as he snuggled down in his bed.

Roy hesitated as he changed into his night clothes. "And you're a whole hell of a lot less likely to get lucky tonight."

"Speaking of which, Major It's Not Like That, did you mess with a bobcat on your way home last night?" Maes pushed his glasses up.

Roy glared over his shoulder. "You're just lucky that these uniforms have high collars or you'd have to explain to General Householder just how you made relations better with the townspeople." Roy nodded toward the love bite on Maes' neck.

"Wasn't her uncle in the house? You getting brave?" Maes put his glasses on the night stand.

"I alchemized an escape route should it be necessary," Roy admitted, climbing into bed.

Maes whistled lowly. "And the best I can do is to make sure I have no loose change in my pockets in case I have to dress in a hurry in the dark."

"There are advantages of alchemy." Roy snugged the blanket under his chin. "Damn, it's cold in here. At least Riza's room had a fireplace."

"Not to mention a hot body to curl up with...I'm still not going to curl up with you," Maes said, wagging a finger.

"You just stay on your side of the room, freak." Roy pouted. "Now I'm all spoiled. I want my fireplace and my beautiful girl in the lacy silk nightie. You wouldn't look nearly as good in it."

"Frighteningly enough, you might. You have the legs for it," Maes replied, waggling his eyebrows.

"That's it, I'm alchemizing a wall between us," Roy groaned, rolling onto his side so he could look at Maes. "You're scaring the hell out of me."

"Like you and Riza scared it out of Thorne last night?" Maes laughed.

"I'm not likely to wet myself," Roy said, amusement creeping into his voice at the remembrance of Thorne's embarrassment. "Thorne showed up at the house this morning."

Maes went serious. "And how much of an ass did you make of yourself?"

"Riza hit me twice," Roy admitted.

Maes slapped a hand to his forehead. "That much? That has to be a record."

"I just wish I knew what Thorne wanted with Hawkeye that he had to come out on such a bad morning. Business could have been done over the phone," Roy said, rubbing his chin.

"Thorne probably heard Householder telling you to take Riza home. He probably didn't go there to talk to Bob. He wanted to catch Riza alone and instead found an exotic rooster in the hen house." Maes chuckled. "That had to be a blow."

"Yeah...I don't like this, Maes. Something's wrong, I can feel it," Roy fretted.

"We're sleeping alone while your rich, handsome, cowardly competition is free to move about and do as he wishes, yes, that's wrong," Maes replied.

"More wrong than that." Roy scowled. "I don't know what yet but something is wrong."

"Nothing you can do about it now. Talk to Riza tomorrow if you're that worried. Have her talk to Avaron. That girl knows everyone's business. She can keep an eye on Keddrick when we can't," Maes suggested.

Roy made a noise in his throat. "Good idea, Maes." Roy only wished it was that simple. Somehow he suspected it wouldn't be.


	8. The World Crumbles

Chapter Eight

"Thank you for coming, dear." Bob gestured to the table where a modest meal of sandwiches was laid out. "I know you don't get a lot of time for lunch."

"No, I borrowed a horse from the base stable, to give us a little more time since you said it was important," Riza said uncomfortably. She knew when she got sent on a temporary duty assignment from the academy to Portsmouth that she'd have to deal with her past and all that remained of her family but it wasn't as if a cadet could say no, no matter how much she wanted to.

"Yes, very important. You know, Riza, that technically your care is my responsibility until you're of age. No one asked me if I wished for you to enter the military academy." Bob's brown eyes hardened. He didn't touch his food. "You just up and followed that fool boy."

"You've never had any reservations that I was aware of," Riza said, unable to sample her lunch. She didn't like where this was going. She had in her mind a host of ideas as to what he was going to say, each uglier than the other. "I've been at the academy a year already."

"A year that would have been better spent at Rennsalaer," Bob countered, drumming his fingers on the table.

"I'm happy where I am now, Uncle," Riza said, trying to keep her voice even though she felt the swell of panic in her.

"In the military? You don't need to be in that uniform, carrying weapons. It's not befitting your station," Bob argued.

"And if I wasn't, people might have died last night." She tried to let her pride in her accomplishment show, as if it might persuade her uncle to see things her way.

"You shot a man," Bob slapped a hand on the table. "What would your father think? He hated the military."

"He'd be happy that I'm making my own way," she said uncertainly. Father hadn't thought she was ready for that, hence him giving her to Roy. "It's my choice...and it's Major Mustang's. Father left my fate to him."

Bob snorted imperiously. "That boy? I'm your uncle. Your care falls to me."

Riza shook her head. "That isn't what Father wanted. He made Roy promise to take care of me and he has."

"Dumping you in the military is not caring for you." Bob sighed, his face morphing into the benign worried uncle expression. "Please don't be difficult, Riza. I'm putting my foot down. I'm having you withdrawn from the military academy. You'll come back to Rennsalaer."

"I will not!" She dropped her glass, heedless of the spilled water.

"And you'll marry Keddrick Thorne and that's the last we'll speak of this," Bob growled, moping the spilled water away from him.

Riza couldn't speak for a moment. Of all the scenarios she had in her head for Bob and Keddrick's meetings, maneuvering her into this position hadn't ever entered her head. While half the purpose of Rennsalaer was to arrange good marriages, she hadn't expected to be bartered off without so much as a by your leave. "No, I won't." She slammed her hands down on the table, griping it tight as she fought for control of her emotions.

"Listen, girlie, Thorne wants you and I want his money. Your father might have cared nothing about restoring the family fortune but I'm not him. You will do as you're told. I'm not going to let some deathbed arrangement by my idiot brother take away the one chance I have to do that. There's nothing on paper saying Mustang is your guardian and I'll be damned if I stand idly by and have you snub your chance at a fortune."

"No." Riza jumped up, her legs shaking. "I won't do it. There is nothing you can do to make me marry Keddrick."

"What if I lodge a complaint against the good major with General Householder after his conduct last night?" Bob was on his feet, hand locked over her wrist, faster than she knew her uncle could move.

"What are you talking about? It was a blizzard. _You_ were the one who insisted Major Mustang stay the night in his old room. You even gave him the bedding!" Riza said, trying to yank free.

"And then that dreadful boy took advantage of my generosity and my niece's naive nature to seduce her in direct violation of the law. There is a law against that, I'm fairly sure of it." Bob smiled coldly.

"He didn't..." Riza whispered, wondering if they had somehow not heard her uncle listening in at the door. It was certainly possible or Keddrick could have told him about Roy's foolish insinuations in their game of one upmanship yesterday. The only real proof, the bloody sheets had been taken care of; Roy had transmuted whatever it was and turned it into a powder that shook out.

"Who cares if he did or if he didn't? Even without proof, they're likely to reprimand him formally and they'll probably boot you from the academy," Bob said triumphantly. "Or at least see it my why that you're better off here at Rennsalaer."

Riza pulled free, rubbing her bruised wrist. "It doesn't matter. I won't capitulate. I left Rennsalaer to get away from this place. I don't care if you do get me removed from the academy. I won't come back here. I won't marry him. This is a big country. I have friends. I'll go where you can't find me."

"Think what you want, little girl, you will do as you're told or you'll be very sorry," Bob grated out so coldly the outside felt like summer in comparison.

Riza just ran out and got the old riding mare she had taken out of the base stable. She had to warn Roy first and then, well, she did have friends. Avaron would be horrified. She's help Riza escape this fate. If worst came to worst, Riza would sell all the jewelry she managed to keep after her father's death and she would use the money to start a life anywhere but here. Nothing would compel her to marry Keddrick.

X X X

Roy didn't know what was worse, freezing his ass off out in the woods patrolling for Drachmaians or getting shoved into a tiny office with Maes assigned to tackle stacks of paperwork bigger than they were. Today was paperwork day. At least the little office was warm, too warm. Maes was face down on his stack, his glasses pushed up onto his forehead. Roy was like a cat in a sunbeam, all liquid, pouring into every nook of his chair, thoroughly relaxed. At the sound of his name, Roy jerked fully awake. The look on Riza's face made him sit up right, slamming his feet down, startling Maes awake. The fact that Riza didn't yell at them for goofing off was proof enough, even if he hadn't seen the fear in her eyes, to tell him something was dreadfully wrong.

"Hawkeye, what is it?" he asked, barely remembering to keep it formal just in case.

Riza made it to his desk then collapsed against it, nearly sending a towering stack of paperwork to the floor. "He's trying to force me out of the academy."

"What? Who is? What are you talking about?" Roy took Riza's shoulders. Maes was on his feet, coming around the desk as if to get between her and whatever might be coming for her.

Riza took a deep breath, steeling herself. "Uncle Bob has decided to finally take an interest in my life as my legal guardian now that he's realized he can sell me to Keddrick for profit."

"What?" Roy grated out, his fingers digging into her.

"Uncle Bob informed me I'm now engaged to Keddrick and he'll be rich," she spat, shaking under Roy's hands. "That had to be what Keddrick's oh-so-important meeting was about."

Roy's hands dropped and his legs went weak. "This is all my fault," he whispered. "If I hadn't kept trying to get the better of Keddrick..."

"No, Roy, it's not. Keddrick's always wanted me," Riza said, putting a hand on his cheek.

"It doesn't matter why it happened," Maes broke in and they jumped, all but forgetting he was still in the room. "What matters is what do we do about it."

"It's worse than you know," she said, rubbing a hand over her eyes. "If I don't agree, he's promised to tell Householder that you forced yourself on me, Roy...or seduced me..." Riza shook.

"How could he know?" What little color Roy had drained away. "I could have sworn he was way too drunk."

"He doesn't know," she interrupted. "He doesn't care that he has no proof. The allegations alone will ruin us and you know damn well Keddrick would gladly fill in details that don't exist from the dance."

"Son of a bitch," Roy growled, taking out his rage on a stack of paperwork, toppling it over off the desk.

"You're in a mess," Maes said, laying a gently hand on Riza's shoulder. "There has to be something we can do to help."

"If I have to, I'll run off once they throw me out of the academy. No matter what happens, he's not forcing me into a marriage. Even if I never get to see my friends again...I'll do what I have to." Riza wiped at her eyes, trying hard not to cry.

"Maybe a direct approach would be the best," Maes said, giving Roy a knowing look.

"That was my thought," Roy replied, gathering up the files.

"I don't understand," Riza said, looking between the men.

"You and I go to General Householder right now and tell him what your uncle is trying to do to you," Roy said.

"But no one but you and I heard Father's dying declaration about you taking care of me," Riza said, too rattled to think clearly.

"It doesn't matter. We tell him what Bob is going to say. We deny being lovers and ask for his help. Maybe he can't do anything to stop this, Riza, but if we beat Bob to it, maybe you stand a chance," Roy said.

"And at least maybe we can protect you, Roy." Riza brushed her fingers over his hand. "I'll settle for that much."

"You two go and I'll handle things here," Maes said. "Riza, is there anything I can do for you?"

"Yes, please call Avaron, Maes. Tell her what's happening. Tell her not to do _anything_," Riza said, obviously fearing her friend's temper. "Just tell her I might need to borrow money."

"Of course," Maes said, going for the phone.

Roy put his hand against the small of Riza's back and guided her out of the room. He didn't say anything to her as they walked towards Householder's office. Out in the open, someone might overhear and he suspected Riza needed the time to pull herself together. Roy had only rarely been tempted to use his alchemy to hurt someone and as awful as Keddrick had been to him, he hadn't thought of it until now.

Once in the general's office, they spoke to his adjutant and were told that the general should have time to see them. They waited in Householder's anteroom, silently waiting on him like prisoners awaiting final judgment. Finally Householder's aide let them in.

"We're sorry to disturb you, sir," Roy said, standing rigidly at the edge of Householder's desk.

The general indicated for them to sit. "You two look like you have something weighing on you."

"Sir, Cadet Hawkeye has a very grievous problem and there will be serious and untrue allegations made about me and we thought you needed to be aware of them since they will effect your command," Roy said grimly then he and Riza laid out Bob and Keddrick's plan.

Householder sat back at the end of it, stroking his moustache. "This is...a very vexing problem. I'm not sure that we could block your uncle from removing you from the academy if he is your legal guardian, Cadet."

"My father wished Major Mustang to be my guardian, sir," Riza said as if hoping if she said it enough someone important would believe her.

"And you contend there is no truth to your uncle's forthcoming allegations," Householder looked at them as if he didn't quite believe it.

Riza glanced at Roy then met Householder's eyes. "Sir, I can't deny my relationship with the major goes beyond our duties. We are friends, nothing more. He was my father's apprentice for years. Major Mustang lived in my father's home all that time. Maybe it's inappropriate for me to be under his command here but we didn't see it as a problem. If anything, our prior relationship makes us work better together, witness the attack on the party."

Householder sat stroking his prodigious moustache silently for several long moments. "I'll consult with our legal geniuses and see what we can do. I would hate to lose you, Hawkeye. Even as a cadet, you're a better soldier than some of my lifers. Though, at best, we may have to separate you and the major, just to appease the powers that be."

Roy and Riza exchanged glances again. "We understand that, sir," Roy said.

"I want to remain in the military, if at all possible, sir," Riza added. "I willingly left Rennsalaer Academy. It wasn't what I wanted to do with myself."

"I'll be sure to impress that on the legal consul," Householder promised. "All right, let me handle this and I want to impress this on both of you, you especially, Flame, do not talk with either Thorne or Hawkeye. Under no circumstances do you go to their homes, have nothing to do with them. If they insist on talking to you, you do so through a JAG officer, is that understood?"

"Yes," Roy mumbled. "Sir, I just transferred a good amount of money into Hawkeye's account in exchange for a room full of alchemic texts and devices that were my mentor's."

"I'll see to it that you get it, Mustang, even if you have to go with soldiers to make sure that you get what is yours," Householder told him.

"Thank you, sir." Roy got up and headed out with Riza on his heels. "Went better than I thought," he whispered to her.

"We're still in trouble, lots of it," she replied, looking drained

"Less than we were. Householder believes us," Roy said, "or is at least pretending to."

"This isn't going to end well," she said morosely.

Roy hazarded a light touch on her arm. "But it might not end as horrible as you fear. Come on, let's see what Maes has managed to do with Avaron. She might have killed Thorne by now."

"That's the best thought I've heard all day," Riza gave him a look that chilled him


	9. with a single shot

Chapter Nine

"How are you holding up?" Avaron skipped the tea and just served Riza a glass of whiskey. She gave her young friend a critical look as Riza huddled on the leather chair by the fire. "You off duty?"

Riza nodded. She wasn't a big fan of drinking but right now she could use it. "Not well. General Householder is allowing me to continue my duties for now but I've been pulled off the forest detail, which is just not right. We've doubled the patrols in the woods, after the incident at the school and now, Roy's out there alone. Householder doesn't want to risk me getting hurt, especially if things don't go my way and I am withdrawn. The military doesn't want to explain to my uncle," she drew the word out like a curse, "why I got shot or whatever."

"Well, I can see the military's fears about that," Avaron said gently as she absently toyed with her hair. "But surely Roy isn't all alone out there?"

Riza made a face, sipping at her whiskey. "No, but you don't understand. He's a daydreamer, Avaron. If it's not alchemy, he gets distracted in a matter of moments. Roy's probably out there in the woods thinking, 'wonder if I could use this in alchemy?' And if Hughes is around, then neither of them will be thinking about anything but 'girls,' add in a little sniggering and hand gestures where appropriate and you and I can only hope _we're_ the girls they're thinking about."

"Teenaged boys? Please, a boob bobbles by them, any boob, and that's what they're thinking about. Your Roy better not get Maes shot. I'm not done playing with him yet," Avaron said, her nose wrinkling.

"You're awful," Riza informed her, squirming on the leather chair. "At least Householder didn't tell me I couldn't see you. We're under strict orders not to have any contact with Thorne or my uncle."

"Be glad Keddrick doesn't know that or he'd be standing at the fence between our properties just to taunt you," Avaron said, her green eyes flashing.

Riza shuddered. "I've had happier thoughts."

"Shouldn't those lovely young men be here by now?" Avaron cast a glance at the mantle clock.

Riza followed her gaze. "Not yet. They're back on base by now though, but you don't know them, peacocks the both of them. Trust me, they spend a great deal of time getting their hair to look that messy. Maes will want to shave, though I've heard rumblings about him wanting to try and grow a beard…I don't think Roy shaves. He has the smoothest skin." Riza shrugged.

Avaron laughed. "Oh, your boy looks like he's made from porcelain, just like that group of Xing traders that came and talked to our fathers a couple years back, remember?"

"I still have the robe." Riza nodded. "As I remember, not a whisker among them. Roy's mom came from there. Xi-Feng, she's the one who started teaching him alchemy. I met her once when I was just a little girl. She knew my father some how. That's how Roy came to live with us later. She was so pretty. All I really remember was how bright and chaotic her clothing was and everyone staring at her."

"Everything here's too boring, witness our uniforms," Avaron interrupted. "She would have been like a peony in a bed of daises."

Riza nodded. "And I remember her exercising outside the house, these slow, beautiful movements. I thought she was a princess from a fairytale since I had never seen anyone like her. I know now that those were a type of Xing fighting move. I'd like Roy to teach me."

"There's something a girl doesn't ask a guy every day. Dear, teach me how better to kick your butt." Avaron smiled, approval for the idea written all over her face.

Riza laughed. "Well, with Roy, that might be necessary to keep him in line. A quick shot to the head to get his attention."

"I will give you jewelry if I could witness that," Avaron said, draining her whiskey glass. "I'd set you up in a house if you did it to Keddrick."

"Don't tempt me," Riza replied darkly.

The low dull thuds of the huge brass knocker on the front door cut into Avaron's reply. Avaron waved Riza down as the other girl rose. "Cynthi will let them in."

Cynthi led Roy and Maes into the parlor. The boys, as Riza predicted, were freshly groomed and out of uniform for the night. Both wore riding boots. Avaron indicated for them to sit.

"You get your horses stabled up?" she asked.

"Your groom is taking care of it. It's snowed a little again. We decided against walking," Maes replied, holding his hands towards the fire.

"We'll probably all have to be back on base in a few hours," Roy said, regret heavy in his voice. "You two okay?"

"Yes, we were just talking about your mother," Avaron said.

Roy gave them a querulous look. "My mother?"

"And her sense of fashion. We were talking clothing mostly…and her fighting style," Riza said, blushing though she wasn't sure why. "I might like to learn that provided, of course, I'm not expelled from the academy," she added bitterly.

"I'll teach you," Roy said.

"We've had Xing traders up here. I liked their silks," Avaron said then gave Riza a coquettish look. "Riza has a Xing robe."

"I know. I saw it in her closet," Roy said then blushed as Avaron's green eyes fixed on him in surprise. "She _asked_ me to go through it and find a gown for her to wear to the ball."

"All he found were shoes and night gowns," Riza grumbled and Roy and Maes exchanged leers in remembrance.

"Are you surprised? He's male. What were you thinking?" Avaron shook her head ruefully.

"It was temporary insanity, apparently," Riza replied. "I was expecting him to act like an adult."

"I think men are powerless when confronted with nighties," Avaron said, wagging a finger at Riza.

"Roy can show her _his_ fancy silk pj's and call it even," Maes suggested with a sly grin.

"You have silk pjs?" Avaron's feathery eyebrows climbed high.

Roy shot Maes a pinched look. "They're not pajamas. I have one set of my traditional clothing with me because when I'm lounging around, studying, they're very comfortable to wear, not that Maes would know that."

"How would I? It's not like I can borrow them." Maes waved a hand at Roy. "You're doll-sized, after all."

Riza didn't know what she and Avaron were laughing harder at; what Maes had said or the look on Roy's face.

"Oh, I want to see you in those silks sometime." Avaron managed to stifle her giggles. "You have to go back to base in a few hours? Maes, want to help me with an experiment?" Avaron got up and held out her hand.

"Experiment?"

She grabbed his hand and yanked him up. "Yes, on the power of a silky nightgown." Avaron hauled him away before he could form words. "Remember what we talked about the other day, Riza," she called back over her shoulder.

"Do I even want to know?" Roy asked.

Riza set her glass of whiskey aside. "Yes, actually you do. Come with me."

She led Roy to the guest room Avaron had given her and shut the door behind them. She hadn't actually explained to Roy that her friend was letting them use her house for illicit trysts. She wasn't sure what Roy would think of that so Riza decided to show him rather than tell. Riza pressed him back against the wall near the marble fireplace and kissed him hungrily.

"This is what you talked about?" he asked when she let him up for air.

"No, this was." Riza whispered something in his ear, laughing softly at his shocked looked. She sank to her knees, lifting his shirt to flick her tongue around the circle of his navel before she unzipped his trousers. Roy's head clunked back against the plaster as a moan escaped his lips.

Neither of them remembered to draw the heavy curtains in their haste to not lose what little time they had together. Neither saw the glint of light sparking off metal and glass from the binoculars pointing at them from the property next door.

X X X

"This is the wrong year." Keddrick's hand flashed out, catching the maid across the face. She cried out, nearly dropping the bottle of wine.

Keddrick snatched it away from her and collapsed angrily in his chair across from his father's. The maid scurried away from the den, a place the Thorne's barely tolerated a female presence. Keddrick looked at the label.

"The help gets more useless every year. I have no idea where your mother finds them," Thorne sniffed. "What has you in such a fit of temper? I'll assume it's not merely the wrong vintage of wine. I heard the tirade earlier."

Keddrick studied his father for a moment. He couldn't tell him that the girl he intended to make his own was whoring herself out to some freak of nature. Keddrick might be able to overlook such a lapse in judgment but his father couldn't. "There is someone trying to stand in my way." Keddrick rotated the bottle so the label faced his father. He tapped it. "This man's son, some half bred Squint freak."

"Oh, you mean that upstart alchemist." Thorne snorted, tapping his heavy ring on the arm of the chair. "I didn't care for that boy at all. I'm shocked General Householder puts such stock in the likes of him."


	10. from bad to worse

Chapter Ten

"Thanks for joining me for lunch," Avaron said, smothering a slice of venison with a sauce made from dried lingonberries.

"The last time I was invited to lunch it didn't go well," Riza said, her eyes haunted. She stared at an area of brick red silk wallpaper just to the right of her friend's shoulder. "Almost put me off coming."

"I guarantee I'm far better company than your uncle," Avaron replied tartly. "Have you heard any more about that?"

Riza shook her head, tracing a pattern on the high gloss polish of the cherry wood table. "It's at a stand still and I don't want to talk about it."

"Agreed, no unpleasant talk." Avaron said, taking a bite of the whipped potatoes laced through with white wine. "So how much fun did you and your major have here yesterday?"

Riza blushed, shifting around on the white damask seat, the one she was always afraid she'd drop something on. "So, right into the sex talk?"

"You said nothing unpleasant…it wasn't, was it?" Avaron asked with a fox smile.

Riza's blush deepened as she leaned back on the acanthus flower carving of the seat back. "Far from it. What is it with you and details?"

"Just seeing if you're ready for one of the books on various ways of doing it…so you don't get bored." Avaron's eyes danced.

"There are books?" Riza blurted out.

"Ah, so naÏve. Let me get them out for your next visit. I'd let you borrow one but planting too many ideas in the heads of soldiers might be a bad thing," Avaron said, heaving a melodramatic sigh.

"I doubt getting caught with a book like that would help my cause any," Riza added, thinking that would be the perfect excuse to get her expelled.

Avaron laughed then turned the conversation to picking Riza's brain about Central where the military base was. Riza gratefully accepted the change of topic, regaling her friend with all there was to do in the big city. Lunch flew by and Riza reluctantly took her leave. She turned down the walk outside of the fence, which was nearly lost in the hedgerow. Riza could barely see the majestic house behind it.

The sounds of a car stopping behind her surprised Riza. She turned and saw Keddrick step out of his vehicle. It seemed to her that he was dressed more for riding than for anything else and the walking stick he carried seemed out of place. She braced herself for what surely would be an unpleasant talk, the words, 'I'm not permitted to talk to you' balanced on the tip of her tongue. Riza never got to say them. Unprepared for him to get physical, the blow from the walking stick caught her along the cheek, cracking the ceramic topper to the cane. Keddrick dragged her toward the vehicle, Riza's split cheek trailing blood on the snow, and he stuffed her into the back seat of the car before pointing it toward the Hawkeye estate.

X X X

Roy slowly opened his eyes, unsure of where he was and why he was so cold. Sun dappled down through the trees, so pretty that he didn't want to move. It was like the forest was simply illuminated, looking so pristine, so utterly beautiful that he didn't want to do more than lie where he was and admire it. It was the type of splendor that moved men to poetry.

Bit by bit, it occurred to Roy he shouldn't be just lying in the woods. The only time he ever went into the woods was on patrol. Why was he on the ground? He couldn't possibly have fallen asleep on patrol. Gradually it sank in that something was wrong – especially since he couldn't even remember waking up in the morning, let alone what he had been doing - so he sat up. His vision swam and a drum started in his head. His shoulders twinged and everything felt bruised.

Roy rubbed his head and his gloves came away tacky. "Must have hit my head," he muttered. That would explain why he couldn't remember anything. Blood spotted the snow. Roy knew he had to get up and get moving before hypothermia set in. Surely he couldn't be alone. "Maes?" he called softly. "Riza?"

There was no answer. Roy got up and started down the hill, unsure of where he actually was. He hit a trail and started walking faster. Surely this would take him somewhere. He could see the hoof prints in the snow. Who had the horse? Him? Unfortunately, his head really began to hurt. Roy sat down on a fallen log, stamping his feet trying to warm them. He gave up on that and set another nearby log on fire. That felt better, only he was getting sleepy. Roy barely looked up when he heard a horse approaching. It was taking a lot of effort to keep his attention on the dying fire.

"Roy, what are you doing? Every rebel in the mountain is going to see that!" Maes cried, swinging off his horse. "Where's your mount?"

Roy squinted at his friend. "Why are we out here? Patrol?"

"What do you mean…" Maes' eyes fixed on the blood on Roy's collar. "Roy, you're hurt."

Roy touched his head. "I think I fell. Did I fall off a horse?"

"I don't know, buddy." Maes examined Roy's head, his breath hitched. "Son of a …Roy, do you remember anything at all?"

"I remember last night…that was nice but nothing since we left Avaron's house." Roy's brow knit. "What's wrong?"

"I don't think you fell, Roy. That looks like a bullet hole," Maes said, his voice shaking as he touched the hole just behind Roy's ear.

"Can't be." Roy's gloved fingers strayed to his head as Maes went to kick snow on what was left of the fire.

"Let's get you on my horse." Maes helped an unsteady Roy up into the saddle and swung on behind him. Roy made an unhappy noise and Maes didn't know if it was about pain or not wanting to ride double. "We have to get you home, Roy. Just hang on, we're going as fast as we can manage."

Roy didn't say anything. He just grit his teeth as all the jarring made his head hurt so much thinking, even seeing, became impossible.

X X X

Riza's head hurt more than she would have thought possible. Her hand went to her throbbing cheek even before her eyes opened but she couldn't really probe the injury; it hurt too much. She pried her eyes open, though the one on the side of pain was barely able to peel open with all the swelling.

"I guess you didn't kill her, you idiot." Her uncle's voice held a note of panic as it rasped along her ears. "I can't believe you did this."

Was she actually relieved that her uncle hadn't known Keddrick was going to attack and kidnap her?

Keddrick spun away from the huge fireplace in the den, his green eyes rolling. "Your way of doing things wasn't going to work, old man." He stabbed a finger at Riza. "She was going to convince them that she belongs in the military and negate your guardianship."

"He's not my guardian," Riza said, trying to sit up on the couch, surprised she wasn't tied down in any way. As much as her head hurt and her stomach churned, her concussion was fetters enough. "Mustang is."

"I've seen how he takes care of you." Keddrick grabbed her arms, shaking her. "You couldn't wait to spread your legs for that poor, little Squint."

Riza got her hand up but couldn't manage more than an energy-less slap. She wondered if Keddrick had fractured something in her face given the sheer amount of pain. He cocked a hand up to hit her.

"Did your father have any idea about your and his apprentice, Riza?" Bob asked, getting a hand on Keddrick and dragged him off of her.

"He gave me to Mustang for a reason," Riza growled. Let them think her father knew they were lovers. She needed time to hopefully pull herself together. Not tying her up would prove to be a mistake, just as soon as she got her bearings.

Her uncle shook his head as he settled back into a high-backed chair. "You naÏve little girl, letting that man control you."

Riza tried to smile, flinching from the pain. "Got it wrong, Uncle Bob. I'm the one in control."

"Easy to do when you have your mouth wrapped around his cock," Keddrick growled, grabbing her chin. His fingers dug into the rent in her cheek, bringing tears to her eyes. "You let that freak put his mark on you, that horrible thing on your back."

Riza kicked him, forcing him back. The effort drained her, making her vision swim. Her concussion had to be severe. "Wrong again. Who do you think taught Roy his alchemy? I am my father's daughter." She brought her chin up defiantly. "No matter what else Roy is, at least he's not a pathetic, rich, little pervert who can only watch others enjoying their lives."

Riza managed to shield her face as Keddrick swung on her. His fist hit into the meat of her arm. She reached for the gun in her holster but it was gone. A wordless cry of frustration dropped from her lips.

Keddrick unfurled his smuggest grin then produced her gun out of his pocket. "Looking for this? I have your knife, too."

Riza felt along the small of her back. Her knife was missing as promised. "Bastard."

He looked utterly amused by her fury. "What language."

"You really have no idea what you've done, do you, you spoiled idiot?" Riza hissed. "Do you think the military will just sit back and let you get away with this?"

"You overestimate your importance to them." Keddrick waved her off. She saw his pride wasn't going to allow logic in.

"She might not be when it comes to the alchemist. He'll come looking for her," Bob said uneasily, his eyes flickering in between Riza and Keddrick. "This was…impetuous of you at best, Keddrick."

Thorne struck a pose, leaning on the marble mantle, using his body to convey his disdain. "Oh, I'm not worried about the Squint."

"You ought to be," Riza said, finally able to stand up. The room bobbed and weaved and she tried to blink away those effects.


	11. Immolation

1Chapter Eleven

"Avaron, do we pay our maids to do nothing but gossip?" Igrayne asked as the fourteen year old sipped from her cup of tea.

Avaron rolled her eyes at her younger sister, looking up from the article she was finishing for the local paper on the fashions of the ball. She had put it off to do the far more interesting stories on the insurgent attack on Rennsalaer. "Do you have to be so high handed, Igrayne?"

"Well, it just seems to me that as cold as it is out today you wouldn't think Cynthi would be tarrying to chat with Lucinda across the fence. I should think she'd want to beat the rugs and get inside fast as she could," Igrayne said, exchanging tea cup for crochet hook. "But I suppose it was too good of gossip to pass up."

Avaron rummaged in her desk for a blotter. "How so?"

"The Thorne household was in an uproar all night it seems. Keddrick was screaming and being awful…he does that a lot, doesn't he?" Igrayne's young face wrinkled.

"Yes, he's not a very nice man," Avaron agreed. "Did Lucinda say what he was upset about?"

"Something he saw over here last night." Igrayne ran a hand through her red hair. "What could he have seen through the windows that upset him? What kind of trouble are you in now, sis?"

"Oh, god." Avaron's hand shook as she set her pen down. Her stomach twisted like a leaf in the wind.

"Lucinda said he was making threats against someone he was calling a Squint, that's really not nice. There's nothing wrong with the Xing." The girl sniffed. "And he left really early this morning dressed for hunting. It's rather the wrong season for that."

"Oh, my god." Avaron snatched up the phone and placed a call to the office Riza worked in on base. She was informed Cadet Hawkeye hadn't returned from her lunch. "Damn, damn, damn."

Avaron ran outside without proper boots or a coat, ignoring her sister's shouts. She raced to the end of the walk and turned toward the military base, heading past her manicured hedgerows. She saw the scuffle marks and spots of blood on the snow. Swearing inventively, Avaron plowed through the snow to the Thorne's front door, slamming the knocker as hard as she could. She rubbed her chilled arms, dancing from foot to foot, her toes numb inside her soaked slippers. Lucinda the maid seemed shocked to see her.

"Miss Lagana, you'll catch your death! Where is your coat?"

"Never mind that, Lucinda. It's imperative I speak to Keddrick immediately," Avaron said even though deep in the pit of her stomach she knew Keddrick wouldn't be here.

"I'm sorry, Miss. Mr. Thorne went out in his car some time ago." Lucinda's eyes betrayed her fear of her employer.

Avaron swore again, apologized to Lucinda then tore off for her own home. Igrayne was waiting for her at the door with a heavy comforter, tossing it over her sister as soon as she came in.

"Avaron what's wrong?" She tried to pull Avaron towards the parlor and its roaring fire.

Avaron followed simply because that was where her phone was. She sat and let Igrayne take off her ruined slippers and rub her ruby red feet as she made the call. "Can you please put me in touch with General Householder or his secretary or whomever I need to speak to. I think one of his cadets was attacked and taken from in front of my home…yes, I can wait."

"Avaron, what's going on?" Igrayne hissed lowly, her green eyes wide.

"I think Keddrick kidnapped Riza because she was doing everything she can to avoid marrying him," Avaron said, her voice shaking just a bit.

"Marry? When did that happen?" Igrayne asked, going even paler under her sprinkle of freckles.

Avaron waved her off. "Yes, sir, thank you for talking with me. I don't have much proof of what I'm going to say but I want you to know what little I know and what I think is happening," she said then explained the situation, leaving out what the boys were doing with her and Riza at the house the night before. "I'm not sure where he'd take her, sir. His maid said he isn't home. It's possible he took Riza to her uncle's…yes, sir, I'll stay out of it. Thank you, sir."

Avaron hung up the phone then got up, stamping her feet. "I need to get boots."

"Avaron, what is going on?" Igrayne asked nervously. "You can't really mean Keddrick has kidnapped Riza."

"That's exactly what I mean. I'm going out, Igrayne. Don't you or any of the maids open the door to anyone. For today, we're not here," Avaron said, clamping her hands on her sister's shoulders.

"Where are you going?"

"To the Hawkeye residence," Avaron answered grimly.

"But you told the general you wouldn't." Igrayne hung on her arm.

"I lied," Avaron said, shaking free. "I'll take the car. If I'm not back in an hour, call the general and tell him where I am."

Igrayne nodded, fear in her eyes. Avaron got her hunting rifle and headed for the car.

X X X

"Where are we?" Roy mumbled, unable to decide what part of him hurt the most. He bounced off the cage of Maes' arms and straightened himself up on the horse more.

"Almost out of the woods," Maes replied distractedly. Roy had been antsy and noisy the whole way out of the woods. "Try to sit still, Roy."

"I think you can stop worrying. I'm sore but I don't think I'm really hurt that much," Roy replied, his eyes narrowing. "I know that lake." He pointed to the frozen pond. "We're near Hawkeye's…I'm not supposed to be there, am I?"

"This was the quickest way out. It's not like we'll be going inside," Maes said, urging their horse to go faster now that the ground was leveling. They skirted around the home then angled toward the front of the house and the drive.

"Hey, that's Thorne's car," Roy said, peeling off the heavy duty, winter gloves. A wicked look fluttered over his wan face.

Maes dropped the reins for a moment and grabbed Roy's hands still clad in the static gloves. "Don't even think it. You can't torch his car. He'll know it was you."

"And there's Avaron's car." Roy nodded.

"And Avaron." Maes spotted the young lady heading to a window. He reined up hard. "With a gun. What the hell is going on?"

"We need to find out." Roy all but fell off the horse, nearly taking Maes with him. He ignored the dull but nauseating ache in his head as he ran.

"Roy, get back here. You're in no shape to do anything," Maes said, swinging off the horse, letting the reins drop.

Roy was glad his friend didn't remind him of the order banning him from this place. Things like that didn't matter in situations like this. "Avaron, what are you doing?" he called softly.

She whipped around, her eyes wild. "Riza's disappeared. There was blood on the walk outside my place. I think Keddrick took her."

"Son of a bitch!" Roy hissed. "Not that way, Avaron. You'll have to break glass. This way. There's a window with a busted lock. I'm betting Bob was too cheap to fix it."

"What do we plan to do once we get in there?" Maes eyed Avaron's gun as they sneaked around to the north side of the house.

"I've already called the base. General Householder said someone would help but…I'm not sure he believed me entirely. I wouldn't hold my breath waiting on them," Avaron said.

"Good thinking," Maes said, slightly surprised at how level headed she was given the circumstances.

"Why are you bloody, Roy?" Avaron whispered.

"He says he fell. Unless he impaled himself on a stick, I think he was shot in the head," Maes growled, angry at whoever had hurt his friend and frustrated that he could do nothing, including making Roy listen to reason.

"Should he be walking around?" Avaron said, color draining out of her face. She reached for Roy who shrugged away.

"You try stopping him now," Maes said scathingly, giving his friend a look that said he was being an idiot for not taking it easy until he saw the doctor.

"Keddrick's maid said he went out on a hunt early this morning," Avaron said. "But how…"

"Probably a bird rifle," Maes said as Roy pried open the window. "Keddrick wouldn't want to make a lot of noise out there. Low velocity, small caliber, it probably didn't go through Roy's thick head."

"That isn't funny," Roy said, climbing in the window. "My head's killing me."

"No, not funny at all," Maes replied caustically as he and Avaron followed him in. She surrendered the rifle to Maes.

"Now where to?" Avaron asked.

A loud scream showed them the way.

X X X

"Keddrick, I don't know what you're thinking but this is not the way to go about things," Bob said, back on his feet, his lip rapidly swelling. "No one will stand for this."

"She doesn't want me? Fine, but I'll be damned if anyone else gets her." Keddrick snarled as he paced around the room, undecided as to his next move.

Riza looked around for a weapon. The best she could do was a crystal vase on the mantle. Thoughts of her own safety fled, chased off by the rage and pain caused by this monster killing the man she loved. She tried to slam it against Keddrick's skull but his own mania fueled his muscles. The blow glanced off an up thrown arm and wasn't enough to put him down. His blade flashed out, catching the arm she threw up to keep the knife from finding her neck. Riza couldn't hold back the sharp cry of pain.

The knife arced up and back down like a silvery fish leaping rapids. It tore into her back with Keddrick screaming he'd destroy the freakish symbol tattooed there. Fiery pain washed over her and Riza punched and kicked as hard as she could, feeling the blade twisting through her flesh. She could feel it slipping out of her and back in again with force enough to nearly take her down. Keddrick's own face was bloodied from her attack but any signs of sanity were gone from his eye. She had heard the mad fought beyond all reason, so very difficult to stop. Now she believed it.

"Get off of her," Bob said, trying to pull Keddrick back. Keddrick scrabbled for a handhold on her, only managing to tear away her ruined shirt.

Fighting for her was probably the most humane thing Riza had ever seen her wastrel uncle do and Keddrick slashed him for his troubles. Bob fell over, screaming. Riza took advantage of Keddrick's divided attention and kicked the knife out of his hand. She tried to get her gun out of his pocket before he remembered he had it. Keddrick's fist slammed into her torn cheek and, for a moment, she was blinded.

Riza wrestled with him, biting into whatever piece of flesh had offered itself but she was weakening. Her wounds took their toll. As Keddrick shoved her back, Riza slipped in her own blood. Keddrick caught her before she hit ground, hauling her across the floor towards the fireplace. She saw the flap of skin dangling from his arm where her teeth had done their work.

"Stupid bitch," he swore and shoved her down.

Riza tried to stop him, feeling the heat against her back but her limbs were slowly refusing to obey her. Riza shrieked when he pushed her against the hot fire dog in the fireplace. The metal branded her back and Keddrick tried to force her head into the flames. Riza imagined she heard the familiar sound of a cocking gun.

"Get the hell away from her!"

Keddrick let go of her head but didn't move enough that Riza could get away from the fire dog ruining her back. Avaron's voice had stunned them both but Riza recovered faster and kicked up between his legs. Keddrick fell back howling and she rolled limply away from the fire. Was that Roy with Avaron? That wasn't possible.

Keddrick tried to get up then froze, seeing Roy. "You? That's not possible. I killed you."

Roy's response was an inarticulate growl as his fingers came together.

"Roy, no!" Maes shouted.

Riza heard the snap and fire seemed to arch out of the fireplace, over her, to embrace Keddrick. The burn was short and from the screams, excruciating. She was barely aware of Roy hitting his knees next to her and the feel of his hands on her face. "Thought you were dead," she whispered.

"Not yet." His hands tugged at his shirt, trying to get it off to hold to the hemorrhaging wounds on her back. "Someone help me, please."

Riza never heard the response.


	12. Picking up the pieces

1

Chapter Twelve

Roy wanted badly to hold Riza's hand until she woke up from sedation. There were any number of reasons he couldn't; the least of which was they were in a military hospital. He was afraid of falling asleep, fingers interlaced and getting caught. The warm fog of painkillers kept threatening to stitch his eyelids shut, even though the chair he had pulled to her bedside wasn't comfortable. He wasn't sure yet how much trouble he was in for burning Thorne but he suspected that Thorne attempting to kill him and both Hawkeyes would spare him the consequences of overreacting.

Riza murmured a bit, lying face down on the narrow hospital bed. He did reach for her hand, stroking the back of it. Her eyes fluttered open then squeezed shut again as she moaned.

"How bad is it?" he asked softly. "I can go get a nurse to give you something." He wrapped his hand over hers.

A few involuntary tears leaked from the corners of her eyes; some leaking over the bandages where they had fixed her cheek. "It hurts."

Roy glanced towards the door, seeing no one about, then got up. He leaned over and whispered in her ear. "I love you," before kissing her cheek. Roy settled back down, not happy with how the room spun as he moved. "Give me a moment and I'll go get the nurse."

Riza's fingers quested after his and he took her hand. "How bad…"

Roy wet his lips. "The doctor told Hughes and Avaron you'd make a full recovery. That's what they told me…but it was bad." He reached over and curled the fingers of his other hand through her hair.

"Glad I showed you…before it was destroyed," she rasped out, involuntary little shudders from the pain racing through her, probably making bigger quakes of agony deeper inside her unless Roy missed his guess.

His fingers tensed then went back to their soothing motion. "It doesn't matter. All that matters is you'll recover. That's what I care about."

Riza's eyes fluttered shut for a moment then opened again. "Father would be…disappointed."

"He'd want you alive, nothing else matters." Roy assured her, his hand not stilling as it move over her hair. "He shouldn't have used you anyhow. You're a person, not a book, should never have left you with something like that to explain all your life."

"Did …what he thought right," she defended her father. Riza let her eyes shut. "My uncle?"

He squeezed the hand he held. "Alive but with lots of stitches."

"Keddrick?" She packed the single word full of hate.

"I didn't kill him but I wanted to…he's never going to be the same again." Roy grimaced. It had been the first time he saw what severe burns looked like and it had sickened him. Even if Keddrick didn't spend his life institutionalized for being a raving lunatic, Roy had destroyed his life. Hughes told him one arm had to be amputated. "I burned him."

"I remember." Her voice stored volumes of pain.

"Let me go get the nurse." Roy tried to get up but her grip tightened.

"Stay with me," she begged and he settled back. "Keddrick said he killed you." Her eyes misted up. "I thought you were dead."

"He tried…I don't remember much of it," Roy admitted. He hated that the trauma had erased half a day from his mind.

"How did he mistake that? Did he hurt you?" Riza rasped, her voice sounding dry. Roy fished an ice chip out of the glass the nurses had left on the night stand, cautioning him that Riza wasn't allowed water yet.

"He shot your boy in the head," Maes said, coming into the room with Avaron on his heels.

Riza's eyes widened as Roy pressed a chip into her mouth. "But…"

"But his head's too hard and the bullet didn't go in." Maes grinned.

"That's not what the doctor said." Roy pouted. "He said the angle was just right and the bullet went in and skidded under my scalp all the way around to the other side." He traced the path on his bandaged-swathed head. "They had to cut the bullet out. They shaved my head," he said in a very loud whisper to Riza.

"Real shame, too. You had such pretty hair," Avaron said, coming over to put a hand on Roy's shoulder.

"Like silk," Riza put in. "You have to hurt so much."

"I feel great," Roy assured her. He really did. Outside of his emotional turmoil over Riza getting hurt, he felt like he could walk on clouds.

"The miracles of pain killers. He's been absolutely silly ever since they drugged him," Maes said. "And that's why I'm here. He wanted to be with you when you woke up. They said no. He has to stay in bed. His nurse went ballistic when she found him gone."

"Like you didn't distract her so I could escape," Roy said, giving his friend a knowing look.

"I was distracting her because she's incredibly beautiful," Maes said, a happy expression on his long face.

"Fickle, isn't he, Avaron?" Roy asked, slumping in the chair sideways as the painkillers worked on his sense of balance. Avaron just smiled at him.

"I like that in a man. Last thing I want is someone who's already picking out wedding rings," she laughed. "Now, you go back to bed. I'll sit with Riza. We heard voices and told the nurse Riza was awake. The doctor will be in any second now and if you don't want in trouble, you'll be back in your own room by then."

Roy sulked but he got up and kissed Riza's cheek again. "I'll be back when I can."

Maes put an arm around his shoulder. "Riza will be sick of all of us doting on her before long. Seriously, anything you need later, Riza, Avaron and I will get it."

"Thanks," she mumbled as Maes steered Roy out of the room and towards the elevator.

"Now to return you to your room and I'll be a hero. Maybe I'll help your nurse chain you to your bed to keep you out of trouble," Maes said, his topaz eyes gleaming.

Roy rolled his eyes. "I feel fine."

"Well, with as much drugs as you have in you, I'm sure you're flying in the clouds, buddy. Your entire scalp was laid open. Your nurse said they flapped your scalp up over your forehead at one point, gruesome stuff, this medical work." Maes shuddered.

"I can't believe you're flirting with my nurse while I'm lying there with a bullet in my head," Roy grumbled, deciding that was a better topic than what the surgeons had done to him.

"They dug it out and you're fine." Maes waved him off. "Besides, I'm in love. She's perfect. Only, she lives in Central. She's just here on a training program. What will I do when she goes back?"

"You say they're perfect every time," Roy moaned as the elevator popped them off on his floor.

Maes pushed up his glasses. "I mean it this time."

Roy looked unimpressed. "You always say that, too."

Maes propelled Roy down the hall, stopping at the nurses' station. "Found him for you."

The honey-haired young nurse eyed them sourly. "You're not supposed to wander off, Major Mustang."

"He won't give you any more troubles, Gracia, now will you, Roy?" Maes said, patting Roy's back.

"I'll be good," he promised without enthusiasm.

Her eyes narrowed. "Well, good. Please go lie back down and I'll come with your pain killers in a moment."

"Yes, ma'am," Roy said and shuffled off toward his room.

"I'll make sure he stays there until you get there, Gracia," Hughes said, herding Roy along.

She beamed at him. "Thank you, Maes."

"Thank you, Maes," Roy mumbled under his breath. "I should warn the girl how fickle you are."

"Look who's talking. Go lie down." Maes pointed to the hospital bed. "Be a nice patient and roll up your sleeve for her."

"The shot doesn't go there," Roy said, getting back into bed. He kicked off his thin, hospital-issued slippers. "It goes in my butt."

"Keep that covered until she gets here." Maes held up his hands to ward off the image of Roy's backside. "She must be the world's greatest nurse to find a target that small."

"I was shot in the head, don't pick on me." Roy pouted to mask the smile that was trying to form. Hughes always could lift his spirits.

Hughes snorted. "Your head's too hard. You'll be fine."

Roy laid back, his head twinging. The hint of humor fled as darkness swooped back in. "He almost took her from me, Maes. Even when she heals…everything's different now."

Maes sobered. "I know, Roy. Avaron and I will stay with her as much as the hospital will let us. We won't let anything more happen to her and we'll do what we can for her. You can trust us with that, Roy. All I want you to do is rest. You were hurt and you need to recover."

The prospect of doing nothing but lying around didn't appeal to Roy. "This will bore me stupid."

"I'll take a break from the hospital and pack up everything from that room in Hawkeye's attic. It's not like there's anyone there to stop me. I'll bring you the books and you can read those exciting tomes to your heart's content." Maes made a face.

"You kid but they are exciting to me," Roy assured him. "Thanks, Maes, for everything."

"That's what friends are for," Maes replied.

"Are you going to go out there and coo at my nurse or are you going to wait until she comes in here and I have to see it?" Roy grumbled, trying to find a position that didn't make his head throb.

"Decisions, decisions." Maes rubbed his chin. "Why don't you shut your eyes, Roy and try to rest?"

Roy shut his eyes and the horrors of the day replayed on his lids. Tears leaked out around the dark, thick fringe of his lashes. He felt Maes' hand on his back. "It'll be okay, Roy. I know it doesn't seem like it now but it will be. Riza will get better. She's not going to go anywhere."

Roy simply bundled the bedding against his eyes and cried until after his nurse gave him another injection and the drugs sucked him under.

X X X

"Doesn't he look exotic?" a familiar voice rang through the empty officers' common room.

Roy glanced up from his journal, blinking owlishly as his eyes adjusted to distance after reading for hours. Riza leaned on Avaron's arm as she slowly walked into the room, clad in her bright Xing robe; he assumed it was because her usual clothing fit too well and rubbed her bandaged back. Maes was behind the ladies, a dreamy look in his eye. Roy unfurled from the couch where he had been stretched out in front of the fire.

"Hey, you're wearing the lizard thing," Maes said, eyeing the red and yellow silk.

"Dragons!" Roy's lower lip pooched out as he looked at the ladies. "They're dragons. Riza, I didn't think you were allowed up yet."

"I'm bored," she said, as Avaron helped her to sit gingerly on the couch. It took her a moment to ease down.

"I would have come help you down here," Roy said, sitting back down, moving some of his alchemic books to give her room.

"And how would you explain that fraternization? Do they allow you to go to female officers' rooms?" Avaron asked.

"No," Roy said, his eyes drifting to Maes.

"They found me in the hallway. I was just coming back from seeing Gracia before she went to work. She is the most-" Maes enthused until Roy cut in.

"I do _not_ want every detail, Maes. Save it to bore me to sleep tonight. I want to talk to our guest." Roy waved a hand at Avaron who had a huge grin on her face. "What's so funny?"

"Just thinking how good you two look together like that in your Xing outfits." Avaron waved a hand at the brilliant colored silks. "Though Roy has the black silk slippers, so he wins."

"He has relatives that keep him well supplied. I have to wait on traders," Riza replied, eyeing Roy with a strange look in her eye. "You look just like Father surrounded by your books."

"They're his books and I'm making the best possible use of my time off," Roy said, his defensive wall coming up. Why was it every time he tried to study someone acted like it was strange.

"Which one now? That spellbinding book on sulfur?" Maes executed a huge eye roll.

Roy glowered. "Hawkeye's journal and it is fascinating."

"Riza, you grew up with an alchemist, I don't know why you want to sentence yourself to another one," Avaron said, dropping into a chair next to the fire. "No matter how cute he usually is."

"Usually?" Petulance edged into Roy's voice.

"You look stupid bald," Avaron replied with a dismissive wave.

Roy smoothed a hand over his head. The mass of bandages had been reduced to a single one around his stitches, leaving the dome of his head exposed, dark and fuzzy.

"She has a point," Riza said, patting the raven fuzz. Her smile made the small bandage on her cheek wrinkle.

"Shallow women." Roy sulked majestically.

"Better hope you don't go bald, buddy. They'll desert you," Maes laughed, sitting across from Riza.

"Well, at least you have a nicely shaped head," Riza said. "Minus the big rut that bullet carved into it."

Roy rubbed his head again. "That's something, I suppose."

"Oh good, I'm on the unbandaged side of Riza's face. Hey you two, look here," Maes said and something flashed in their eyes when they did.

"What the hell?" Roy growled, rubbing his eyes to clear the spots.

"Smile this time." Maes clicked the camera again. "Damn it Roy, you never smile."

"Where did you get that camera?" Roy asked through gritted teeth.

"I needed a new one after the last one got mysteriously destroyed," Maes said, pointedly, narrowing his eyes at Roy. "But they're so expensive."

"So I got him one. I need pictures for the story the Central Tribune wants on you two," Avaron said, reaching over to pat Maes' knee. "They loved the story on all the intrigue, which thank you for letting me write, Riza."

"At least someone should get something out of my pain," Riza moaned, trying to shift into a comfortable position.

"There's a story?" Roy looked like a vinegar jar with eyes.

"They're offering Avaron a job as soon as she graduates," Riza said, pointing at the camera. "Now smile for Maes."

"You have no idea what you're asking," Roy replied, grimacing at Maes who took the picture anyhow. "You don't know what he's like with that camera."

"I'm suspecting there's no real mystery as to what happened to his last camera," Avaron said with a laugh

"Roy claims he knows nothing." Maes pocketed his new prize before Roy was tempted to show it to the fire. "I pretend to believe him."

Roy started to say something then stopped as he tried to get to his feet. General Householder came into the common room.

He waved Roy down. "At ease, everyone. It's nice to see you again Miss Lagana." The older man inclined his head to her. "I need to speak to you and Cadet Hawkeye, Mustang."

"We can come to your office right now, sir," Roy said, hoping he didn't look too guilty because he was sitting next to Riza.

"No, no, we can talk here, there's no one here," Householder stood near the fireplace. "This actually impacts Miss Lagana and Lieutenant Hughes as well, since they were there when it all happened."

"I would have shot Thorne if I had to," Avaron assured him.

"Yes, and given that he was trying to murder Hawkeye, the opinion of the town is that you would have been in the right," Householder said. "There will be no actions taken against you either, Mustang. However, given the severity of Mr. Thorne's burns and his family's position in this town, we think it best that you be stationed to another base."

Roy barely reined in a sigh, utterly relieved. "Understood, sir. Where to?"

"Central for now, under General Gran," Householder said. "And Cadet Hawkeye, your uncle has withdrawn his objections to remaining at the Academy. I'll assume that you wish to return once your wounds have fully healed."

Riza nodded, her body going limp with relief. "Yes, sir, I would."

"Then once you're fit to travel, you'll return to Central as well." Householder turned to Hughes. "Lieutenant Hughes, seeing how well you work with Hawkeye and Mustang, I'm transferring you back to Central with them. You make a great team and you shouldn't tinker with things that work."

Hughes blinked at him in shock. "Oh...thank you, sir. I really appreciate that."

"I'll miss having you kids around. I'm sorry things had to come to such a tragic end," Householder said, going around the couch. He leaned over the back between Roy and Riza adding in a whisper, "You two be very careful not to get caught. Gran isn't a romantic like me."

Roy blanched and Riza stammered out a 'yes, sir.' They watched as the general left. Roy slumped in his seat.

"It worked out good, right?" Avaron said, not sure why everyone seemed to shaky. "You all look pale."

"You have to understand, Avaron, Roy could have been in a lot of trouble for attacking Keddrick," Riza said, squeezing his hand.

"He was trying to kill you. He tried to kill Roy. I don't see the problem," Avaron said then frowned. "No, of course I do. Money talks. He might have been able to buy his way out of this and put the trouble on Roy's shoulders."

"Exactly. This is the best possible scenario," Riza said. "But you and I need to be more careful," she added to Roy who nodded.

"Riza, you look so tired. I'd walk you to your room if Householder hadn't just yelled at us," Roy said, touching her undamaged cheek.

"I should get to bed." Riza looked over at her girlfriend. "Avaron?"

Avaron nodded. "Is that the only door into this place?" She pointed to the egress Householder had departed through.

"Yes, why?" Roy asked.

"Come here, Maes." Avaron stood at the back of the couch. "Between the two of us, no one can see what's happening on the couch."

Roy smiled at her. "Thanks."

Behind the shield of their friends' bodies, Roy and Riza shared a soft kiss. "Never want to lose you," he murmured.

She rested her cheek against his shoulder, the silk soft against her flesh. "You won't."

His lips met hers again, the kiss bittersweet but what they both needed. Riza would leave in a moment with her friend. He'd distract himself with his alchemy but at the moment, her returning to her room and his studying felt like they were events to take place weeks away and all there was, was the kiss.

Finis

Challenge Prompts Used -

Quote - "The wise learn many things from their enemies." - Aristophanes

Picture - The Color Red and Rays of Reflection

Word - Tutelary


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